The Awkward Age

About the book

"The Awkward Age" by Henry James is a novel first published as a serial in 1898–1899. What begins as a story about a young woman's entry into society becomes a penetrating study of decadence and corruption in English high society. Eighteen-year-old Nanda Brookenham navigates her mother's morally questionable social circle, where hypocrisy and deceit flourish. As marriage prospects and hidden motives intertwine, Nanda must decide whether to embrace or reject the corrupt world around her. Told almost entirely through dialogue, this witty yet unsettling portrait reveals the darker truths beneath sophisticated social gatherings.