This book investigates the development of Katherine Mansfield's unique Modernist aesthetic, examining her position as a New Zealander and an outsider in British literary circles. Angela M. Smith traces Mansfield's artistic and intellectual growth, particularly her engagement with Post-Impressionism and Fauvist artists. The analysis links these influences to her most innovative and experimental short stories, exploring her search for the 'secret self' through a literary style described as 'literary Fauvism'. The narrative framework focuses on her personal letters and critical engagement with contemporary art movements.

The book positions Katherine Mansfield as an outsider whose unique Modernist aesthetic was forged through her engagement with international art movements and her distinct identity. It highlights how her literary style, described as 'literary Fauvism,' emerged from her interactions with artists and writers outside the mainstream Bloomsbury group. The analysis emphasizes the connection between her immersion in Post-Impressionism and the creation of her most experimental short stories. The work traces her intellectual and artistic development, underscoring her search for the 'secret self' within her fiction.