When Adeline Mowbray puts her mother Editha’s radical theories into practice by eloping with, but not marrying, a notorious writer, the mother and daughter are estranged for many years, but finally reconciled. As its subtitle suggests, begins and ends with their story, but its complex plot encompasses almost every other human relationship. This engaging novel explores many issues important in the Romantic period, from women’s education to the ethics of slavery and colonialism.