Perhaps in an attempt to imitate the success of Kane and Abel, Archer repeated much of the plot of that best seller in The Prodigal Daughter. The story opens with a touch of foreshadowing as Florentyna Rosnovski, a determined eleven-year-old child, announces her plan to become president of the United States. Given the nature of her character, the reader has little doubt that she will achieve her goal.

The story unfolds through chronological development. The events of the story so closely parallel those of Kane and Abel, particularly in the first half of the book, that the reader has a sense of deja vu. Even some of the same dialogue is repeated, although the emphasis has shifted from the father to his daughter.

The story is punctuated by actual historical events. As bankers and later as politicians, the Kanes are directly affected by world events. Archer...