She Buildeth Her House

A novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around the central character, Paula Linster, and her interactions with various men, including Quentin Charter and Dr. Bellingham, as she navigates her personal and professional life in New York. Through her experiences, the book explores themes of femininity, the search for identity, and the complex dynamics of power and attraction in relationships. The opening of the novel introduces Paula at the age of twenty-seven, where she is faced with the metaphorical arrival of ''two giants''—Bellingham and Charter—who represent conflicting forces in her life. The narrative details her mundane yet reflective morning as she prepares for a day that intertwines her professional ambitions with her personal dilemmas. Her encounter with Reifferscheid, an editor who admires her work, sets the stage for her literary aspirations, while her thoughts about Bellingham reveal her underlying fears and aversions. As she contemplates attending one of his lectures, we witness her internal struggle between curiosity and repulsion, highlighting her complex relationship with these influential male figures and the societal pressures they represent.