Summary

Justine and Bram meet at Hampshire College in an animal husbandry class. They both engage in the radical, freethinking spirit of the campus, attending protests and learning about social justice.

Justine is in her element as an “earthy, busty, hairy-legged, fragrant” (168) young woman. Bram first wanted to be a philosopher, but then took up novel writing. The land they own in Chosen was left to them by Bram’s distant uncle, and while wealthy they “made out like they had little” (169), and make the most of their humble life together.

When Justine first meets George, she thinks other people might consider him good-looking, but feels that something about him is “just slightly off, slightly amiss” (171). However, they come to find out they have some things in common, particularly tennis. The two families often have drinks together after matches, and Justine observes...