An absolutely fascinating, trailblazing and early work of feminism and social realism! This novel reflects the important sexual and cultural issues of the late nineteenth century. Here women are portrayed as 'odd' and marginal in relation to an ideal. Set in a smoggy London, our heroines range from the idealistic, financially autonomous Mary Barfoot; to the Madden sisters who struggle to get by in low paying jobs... Considered by (contemporary ) critics to be as freshly provocative as Zola and Ibsen, George Gissing has written an 'intensely modern' work filled with talking points that are still the object of intense debate in today's world...