A woman navigates the precarious social and economic landscape of the 17th century by leveraging her beauty and wit to secure financial independence. Following the abandonment by her first husband, the protagonist, Roxana, adopts a series of identities and relationships to survive in a patriarchal society that offers few avenues for female autonomy. She encounters various moral dilemmas as she trades her virtue for wealth and status, constantly balancing the desire for security against the threat of social ruin. The narrative is presented as a first-person memoir, reflecting on the consequences of her choices and the instability of her fortune across Europe.

Readers and critics often analyze this work as a complex study of identity and the cost of social mobility in the early modern period. Discussion frequently centers on the protagonist's lack of remorse and the calculated nature of her decisions, which challenge traditional moral expectations of the era. Scholars highlight the text's effectiveness in portraying the harsh realities faced by women who lacked institutional support or inheritance. Many readers note the stark contrast between the protagonist's outward success and her internal isolation, providing a nuanced look at the consequences of her lifestyle. The narrative remains a subject of debate regarding its ultimate moral stance and its critique of the societal structures of the time.