Class and Social Mobility

Class mobility stands at the heart of the novel, shaping every relationship, opportunity, and moment of self-doubt in Anna’s journey.

From Anna's arrival in London to her final evening on the hill at Alexandra Palace, class defines both her aspirations and her alienation. Emily Everett situates Anna between two social worlds: the genteel, insulated privilege of Highgate and the precarious working existence of students, bartenders, and immigrants who struggle to stay afloat. The novel’s drama unfolds in this liminal space, as Anna repeatedly confronts the cost of crossing boundaries that are social as much as emotional.

At first, Anna experiences class not as structure but as performance. She learns to mimic the mannerisms, speech, and aesthetics of the wealthy Wilders, internalizing the belief that upward mobility depends on flawless impersonation. Everett treats this mimicry with ambivalence. While it allows Anna brief...