Lady Lilith

"Lady Lilith" by Stephen McKenna is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story appears to follow a group of young men post-Oxford, exploring their ambitions, relationships, and the dynamics of their social lives as they transition into adulthood. Central to this narrative is the character of Lady Barbara Neave, the daughter of a viceroy, who seems to embody the pursuit of excitement and self-expression, contrasting with her more conventional peers. The opening of the book introduces the character dynamics within the Phoenix Club, a fictional group of friends reflecting on their futures amidst a backdrop of student life in Oxford. Conversations at a farewell dinner delve into personal ambitions, foreshadowing potential struggles ahead as the members contemplate their fates in both love and career. The scene sets a tone of introspection while establishing friendships and rivalries, particularly highlighting Eric Lane's aspirations in journalism and Jack Waring’s nonchalant approach towards a future in law, culminating in the group's collective optimism tempered with a sense of impending doom as they ponder who among them will succeed—or perhaps fail—in this new chapter of life. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Stephen McKenna was an English novelist who wrote forty-seven novels, mostly focusing on English upper-class society, and six non-fiction titles. He published his first novel, The Reluctant Lover, in 1912. His best-known novel, Sonia: Between Two Worlds, was published in 1917. It was the tenth best-selling novel for 1918 in the United States, and also made into a British film of the same name in 1921.