The book is set in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. The main character, Kitty, has been groomed and pushed all her life by her mother to marry a suitable man. The man she quickly marries at age 25 does not excite her in the least. Her husband is socially awkward and not able to communicate his love for her. Selfishly, she finds a lover and when her husband catches them he whisks her off to Hong Kong where he will work with cholera patients. Here, Kitty gradually learns to consider others and look at the good qualities in her husband. The author leaves the reader with the feeling that it is possible that Kitty has come full circle in her struggle to find happiness in loving and serving others.
The book, written in 1925, gives the read a feel for the language and culture of the United Kingdom during that period.