This book is so well written that it may as well be a study in how to write a short novel. Henry James does a wonderful job of presenting his characters. We easily get drawn into understanding them and caring about their fates.

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The book is deceptive in that is appears to be a simple book focusing on a single topic. However, it is more rich that it first appears to be. The book will leave you thinking about it for a long time, wondering how you would have done things differently for the various characters.

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it is a story about a young lady who is being courted by a handsome young man. I will not tell you more about the story so as not to ruin it for you - and please leave off reading any 'introductions' to this book until after you have read the original. Form your own opinion of everyone's motives.

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Besides being an interesting story this book also let's young adults learn about what courting looked like in the recent past. They will see here how people used to have a radically different approach to romantic and sexual relations. The book shows love (inside families as well as between men and women) as it was in the past. A worthwhile thing to know about and to experience.