The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Marquis, Krystal. The Davenports. Dial Books, 2023.

Krystal Marquis’ third-person limited narrative, The Davenports, follows the lives of the Davenport sisters, Olivia and Helen, and their friends, Ruby and Amy-Rose, as they navigate finding love, independence, and purpose. At the outset of the narrative, Olivia was content to follow the conventions of feminine docility and was excited when her parents introduced her to a new suitor, Mr. Lawrence. Simultaneously, Helen was disinterested in following her sister’s foray into society and was content to tinker in the garage. Their friend Ruby Tremaine was hiding her family’s financial difficulty, as her father embarked upon a mayoral campaign. Amy-Rose was once close with the Davenport sisters, but their relationship had devolved in recent years. She dreamed of leaving Freeport Manor and opening her own salon. While she was in love with John Davenport she hid her feelings, afraid of that their class disparity would prohibit a relationship. Ruby, who was also in love with the Davenport heir, was frustrated with his lackluster courting and began courting Mr. Barton to spark jealousy in John.

As the narrative progresses, Olivia began to spend more time on the South Side after meeting a civil rights activist, Washington DeWight, who orated at Samson House. While her parents had sheltered her from the reality of racial discrimination, she began to question her own privilege and became more involved in grass roots activism. Meanwhile, Helen struggled to understand the amorous feelings she had toward her sister’s suitor, Jacob Lawrence. She had never considered marriage, or felt excited about the prospect of entertaining suitors, but she felt comfortable and enlivened in Mr. Lawrence’s company. At a party, when she hid in the library, he entered, and they kissed for the first time. While he had an agreement with Olivia to feign a relationship, Helen was unaware of the nature of their attachment and felt guilty and frustrated.

Later on, Amy-Rose and John began spending more time together. One evening, in the garden, they spoke about their pasts and private fears and ambitions before kissing for the first time. However, shortly after, Amy-Rose overheard him telling his friends that he would only stay in Chicago for the family business. She chastised herself for falling in love with him. As Ruby continued to court Mr. Barton, she became increasingly fixated on their relationship and disinterested in John. Despite her emotions, Mrs. Tremaine was emphatic that her daughter secured a proposal from the Davenport heir. When Mr. Barton overheard their conversation, he accused Ruby of deceiving him. Toward the close of the narrative, Helen and Olivia talked about their desires, love interests, and fears. While their relationship was strained in the recent past, they learned that they have underlying commonalities that continue to bond them. Helen helped Olivia sneak out of Freeport Manor to join Mr. DeWight on the trip to Philadelphia and later comforted her when she chose to stay in Chicago. In the final chapter, the Davenport siblings discussed their fraught romantic relationships and encouraged one another to persevere through the relational strain.