Wings of the Dove

The vivacious Kate Croy finds herself torn between love and money, friendship and ambition; “the crown of Henry James’s achievement.” Now a critically acclaimed film. The vivacious Kate Croy finds herself torn between love and money, friendship and ambition; “the crown of Henry James’s achievement.” Now a critically acclaimed film. Kate Croy is a beautiful but impoverished young woman forced to live with her successful but astringent Aunt, Maude Lower. Lower intends Kate to marry the aristocratic Lord Mark, but she is already in love with a journalist, Merton Densher. Though their lack of money prevents the two from marrying, the destitute couple soon become friends with Milly Theale, an American heiress with an ambiguous ailment and an obvious affection for Densher. As Theale’s health grows worse, Kate weaves a web of intrigue that pushes Densher into Theale’s arms in the hopes of securing her fortune. Theale retreats to Venice in the last throes of her sickness, and Densher, realizing the extent of Kate’s manipulation, forces her to choose between money and love. This classic fiction, a testament to Henry James's top-tier storytelling, further explores the intricate web of love, ambition, and manipulation. The narrative, as vivacious as Kate Croy herself, delves deeper into the complexities of human relationships and the lengths one would go for wealth. For fans of Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (The Life of Charlotte Bronte), Alain De Botton (The Course of Love), Florence Given (Girlcrush), Adrienne Maree Brown (Octavia's Brood), and Matt Haig (The Radleys).