The book has been called a homosexual love story and it describes a growing friendship between a character called Kalulu (an "Apollo"), who is older than the real Kalulu and another boy called "Selim". Kalulu dined with members of society, but often felt he was being humiliated as a result, his meeting with Mr Paterson still deeply haunting him. It was only when introduced to Lord Freeth that he really started to flourish in western society.
