In the late 1950s, Lawrence Durrell swiftly completed his four-volume masterpiece, The Alexandria Quartet, which follows a circle of couples as they come together and part in pre-World War II Egypt. Insightful, creative, and erotic, Durrell's intricate meditation on modern love was praised by NYTBR as "one of the most important works of our time."

The events surrounding the interwoven circle of Nessim, Justine, Narouz, Pursewarden are given a very different perspective in this third novel of the series, from 1958. Their complex relationships and intrigues are seen through the political prism of a world plunging towards war, as David Mountolive—once emotionally engaged with Nessim's set—now returns to Egypt as the British ambassador.