The narrative centers on the attempt to reconstruct the life of Yedda Godard (1889–1976), a woman who lived an adventurous, exotic life in the early 20th century.
: Upon her death from a heart attack at age 87, she bequeathed her library to Vitoux and his wife, Nicole. Themes and Literary Significance
: The book is a meditation on the "anguished wait for death" hidden behind a mask of gaiety and malice.
