Anna on the Neck

Fateful and innocent, independent and with a childlike soul, striving for knowledge yet closed off from the entertainment and intrigues of high society — in the stories of this collection, Chekhov explores the varied fates of women.
All of them are... about how a person searches for their place in the world, makes moral choices, experiences first love, disappointments, and hopes. Chekhov, a recognized master of the short form, creates vivid, memorable images:
As I was unwillingly dragged along these resorts, I became increasingly convinced of how uncomfortable and boring life is for the well-fed and wealthy, how sluggish and weak their imagination is, how timid their tastes and desires are. While I was sitting in the park, it began to get dark, and in the twilight my Ariadne appeared, elegant and adorned, like a princess; behind her came Lubkov, dressed all in new and loose clothing, probably bought in Vienna. "Why are you sitting here?" he said. "What can I do for you?"
What are his heroines willing to risk in search of personal happiness, what are they willing to give up for the sake of love? Can one be happy if decisions are made for you? And is the game worth the candle?