Set largely in 1930s-era New York City, Amor Towles's Rules of Civility tells the story of Katey Kontent, a young woman dissatisfied with the options presented to her by the stratefied society around her. The story begins on New Year's Eve of 1937, when Katey and her friend Eve are out looking for anything that will pique their interest and will give them some fun away from their workaday jobs. The two women have their wishes fulfilled when the dashing Tinker Grey enters the club, altering the lives of all three characters in ways large and small. The novel ultimately deals with themes such as class differences, guilt, and the way in which a single moment in time has the power to shape one's entire future.
