Written in a descriptive atmospheric way building a picture of poor Ada and her early life. Ada aspires to be a part of a higher society way of life which she feels she desires having come from a country house lifestyle which she looses, along with her father, to be installed by her mother in an terrace house. She feels her desire has been cruelly stolen from her until she is provided with the opportunity of a trip to Italy where she will be mixing with a group of sophisticated privileged individuals. Would enjoy reading more to see where the author takes Ada will she ever find where she fits and how the story unfolds