The Portrait of a Lady

"The Portrait of a Lady" is rightly considered the pinnacle of Henry James's work and one of the most subtle psychological novels in the history of literature.

A young American woman, Isabel Archer, strives for independence and does not wish to sacrifice her freedom for a profitable marriage, but dreams of first seeing the world. After receiving an inheritance, she goes to Europe, where she falls in love with a charming man and marries him. However, behind her husband's outward perfection lies cold calculation and cruelty, and Isabel faces a bitter choice — to submit or to fight for the right to control her own destiny…