This novel follows Flesh and Blood in the Amy Parry narrative sequence. Amy and Enid go together to university, where the former takes a leading part in the Nationalist campaign against Anglicization. Later Enid pairs off with John Cilydd More, a young solicitor who is also a poet, and Amy with Val Gwyn, an idealistic student leader. But Val dies of tuberculosis and Amy, in the post university world, falls prey to Pen Lewis, Communist and opportunist; Enid also dies. In this section of the narrative Amy loses her way: the props provided by other people's ideals and visions of society (the Communist one proving to be just another exploitation of women) having been removed she is empty of purpose.