The story in one page
Addie Lefroy is a flighty young woman who finds herself engaged to Tom Armstrong after a brief, strange conversation over tea. Their marriage is defined by Tom’s stoic, business-like nature and Addie’s constant emotional instability. When Addie falls ill with tuberculosis, her frantic pleas for more life are met with Tom's protective care. They spend three years abroad in Algiers, where Addie defies her doctors by surviving. Returning to England, she settles into a life of pampered invalidism, doting on a massive baby and keeping her husband in a state of constant, anxious devotion.
Who's who
- Addie
Impulsive woman who survives a near-fatal illness through love.
- Tom Armstrong
Serious husband who navigates his wife's whims with quiet patience.
- Jack
Lovestruck youth who loses his heart to Addie's sister Pauline.
- Miss Darcy
Aunt who views Addie's health claims with deep suspicion.
What it's really about
- Domestic Insecurity
- A husband navigates a wife's chaotic emotional demands.
- Strategic Invalidism
- Using illness to secure comfort and affection.
Why it's memorable
- Addie confusing a bee apiary with a zoo of monkeys.
- A gigantic, screaming baby causing a household panic.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Addie lives to return from Algiers with her baby, proving her aunt's suspicion that her previous, desperate 'doomed' state was perhaps more performative than clinical.
For your book club
- Why does Tom stay so stoically devoted to his wife?
- Is Addie a manipulative invalid or just a fragile romantic?