'The novel examines parallel love affairs, one inside gaol where life is lived among power groups dedicated to advancing the dark side of human nature, the other in straight society where life is lived inside the boundaries of ethical orthodoxy. The two stories intersect; both couples confront danger, even death; each love story poses a threat to the survival of the other; both, in a sense, prevail, for in this contingent environment there can be no necessary winner. ' (Publication summary)
