Isabel Archer, a young, American, book-smart girl with a need to feel free and independent travels to England to stay with her aunt and receives one marriage proposal after another. This book focuses on describing her character, attitudes and thoughts through her twenties, in a changing life situation. You also get fascinating snapshots of the supporting characters and insight into their attitudes. A major focus is on the role of a woman in American and European societies and the conflict between independence and social rigidity.

James' prose is not a light read. He is known for long, winding sentences which don't always say much, and for me this book could have been shorter. It started off slow, picked up pace in the middle, slowed down again and raced to the end. James chooses to focus his narrative on not necessarily what one would consider the biggest events of Isabel's life, but the ones which illustrate conflict and her independent thought.

The Portrait of a Lady is widely considered to be James' finest work. I can see why. I think the premise and the character portrayals are a notable contribution to literature. The things James doesn't tell you, and the depth of the characters lend themselves to conversation and deep analysis and speculation. Although it took me a while to get through the book, I found myself invested in the characters throughout and the first thing I wanted to do when I finished was exchange thoughts with someone else who had read it. However, a lot of the appreciation I feel only surfaced once I was at the end, and the act of reading itself felt like work rather than leisure.