Winifred Holtby presents a mosaic of English Yorkshire life in the 1930's, exhibiting profound understanding and compassion for a wide array of characters of different classes, ages, and aspirations. There are about 15 main characters involved and the author is very skillful in describing each of their circumstances.

Each chapter is like a perfect short story of its own, providing a character's background or motivation, introducing an obstacle or conflict, showing people as allies or at cross-purposes, always moving the action forward.