The stories in this book are divided between male and female primary characters. The stories also explore the impact of class in a socially stratified society such as Victorian England. The volume is largely pessimistic and depressive in tone. Some of the highlights of the collection include the opening story "Comrades in Arms" which tells of a failed love affair between a young writer and an older woman. Literature and love also play a role in another good story, "The Poet's Portmanteau." Gissing explores differences in class and the dissatisfaction of successful, well-to-do people with their lot in "The Justice and the Vagabond", in which a Magistrate's plans to leave his family and run off with a wastrel, former school comrade are frustrated by his sudden death. Those readers who already appreciated Gissing’s books or who are familiar with Victorian literature will enjoy exploring these weird stories.