I thought this was just astonishingly good. Not so much in the plot or setting, but in the characterisation. Kitty Fane is one of the most finely observed characters I've read in a long while - I remember a few weeks back, reading Maugham's Cakes and Ale, the introduction of which raved about the character of Rosie, and I didn't see it. Kitty leaves her for dead, in my opinion, and the less flattering but still acute sketches of Walter and Charlie are almost equally as good.

I don't currently own a copy of this book - have borrowed it from the library - but I'm going to hunt one down as soon as possible. It's a little master class of its own for character.