The narrative follows the life of Fanny Hill, a young woman who arrives in London and is forced into the world of prostitution to survive. Fanny navigates the complexities of her new environment, encountering various patrons and experiences that shape her understanding of desire and social standing. The story is presented as a series of letters, providing a first-person account of her transformation from an innocent country girl to a woman of experience. She must balance her physical needs with the societal constraints of eighteenth-century London, all while maintaining a distinct narrative voice that blends candor with sophisticated metaphor. The text functions as a picaresque exploration of the protagonist's survival and eventual pursuit of stability.

Discussion often centers on the tension between the novel's explicit content and its sophisticated, often playful prose style. Readers frequently highlight the contrast between the protagonist's naive origins and her eventual mastery of her circumstances. Critics often examine the work as a significant artifact of eighteenth-century literature, noting how it utilizes metaphor to navigate the censorship of its time. The balance of character development against the repetitive nature of the episodic encounters remains a frequent point of analysis. Many readers appreciate the historical context provided in scholarly editions, which helps frame the work's enduring presence in literary history.