A Room with a View

Lucy Honeychurch, accompanied by her vigilant guardian, Charlotte Bartlett, makes her first foray into the world, touring Italy and discovering a country very different than the English countryside in which she was raised. A talented pianist with a good brain, Lucy finds herself torn between two lovers. George Emerson is earthy and kind, appreciative of all living creatures and beauty in all its forms. The sophisticated Cecil Vyse, on the other hand, treats people and things like mere objects at his disposal. Still, he has wealth, and the respect of the community. In choosing between her head and her heart, Lucy must decide what is more important: social standing or her own emotional needs. This funny and touching coming-of-age novel is at once a charming love story and an insightful social commentary.