Classic fiction

Washington Square

by Henry James

Quiet heiress Catherine Sloper lives under the cold judgment of her brilliant father, who considers her neither clever nor attractive. When charming Morris Townsend courts her, Doctor Sloper assumes he wants only her money and uses his authority to oppose the match. Catherine must decide whether Morris deserves trust while gradually recognizing the cruelty hidden inside her father's claim to superior perception. Restrained and piercing, this compact novel suits a rainy afternoon for readers interested in family control, romantic uncertainty, emotional endurance, and a seemingly passive woman developing a will neither man can finally command.