Described as the author's "lifework", it is the largest modern Greek novel, of approximately 2,100 pages, comprising in its final form five parts and spanning over a hundred chapters.

Its writing lasted from 1945 to 1951,[1] though the author continued to work on the project until its final version became standardized around 1970.

The novel is centred around the maiden voyage of the British ocean liner "Great Eastern" sailing from Liverpool, England to the United States in May 1867.

Passengers of various social backgrounds and different nationalities embark on a ten day trip through the Atlantic, during which time they find themselves abandoning all their ethical predispositions and any sense of moral restraint.

[5] The text is written predominantly in the Greek katharevousa of the late 19th century, although it encompasses other linguistic styles as well.