Sons and Lovers begins with Mrs. Morel's unhappy marriage to a miner who decides to give her attention to her children. The story then focuses on her second son Paul's personal relationships and how overbearing his mother has become.

I started reading this novel with no expectations and I was surprised at how much I liked it. But if you don't have the patience for superlative yet long-winded writing, you may find this to be quite a struggle.