The novel takes place in Paris and rural France, but primarily features American characters.

While writing the novel, Edith Wharton visited England, Sicily, and Germany, among other locations.

[1] In a letter to Bernard Berenson in November 1912, Wharton expressed regret regarding her novel, calling it a “poor miserable lifeless lump”.

!”[1] George Darrow, an American diplomat residing in London, has remained in contact with his former love, Anna Leath, who previously married another man.

Deeply humiliated and disappointed, Darrow boards the boat regardless and runs into the young Sophy Viner, a woman he had previously encountered but never gotten to know thoroughly .

They speak of their future and of Anna's stepson Owen, who wishes to marry a woman of whom his grandmother, Dowager Marquise de Chantelle, does not approve.

Additionally, Darrow informs Anna of his plans for their future together: he hopes to move to South America together for his job.

Effie Leath: Anna's daughter, age 9 Dowager Marquise de Chantelle: Anna's mother in law, age 60 Adelaide Painter: American friend of the family and of the Marquise Mrs. Murrett: Sophy's previous employer Fraser Leath: Anna's deceased husband Jimmy Brance: Servant in Murrett household, associate of Sophy's sister In a review published in the New York Sun on November 23, 1912, the book was described as “a bitter, disheartening, sordid story and we could wish that Mrs. Wharton would look on brighter and nobler aspects of life.

[2] Many critics assert that Wharton uses The Reef to work on possible problems troubling her at the time, specifically her first experience of passionate love that involved Morton Fullerton.

[3] While Wharton was writing The Reef she was additionally learning about her husband’s affairs after years of a sexless marriage.

"[4] The novel was adapted into a film The Reef (also known as Passion's Way) in 1999 starring Sela Ward, Timothy Dalton and Alicia Witt.