The Green Hat
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This novel offers a razor-sharp critique of 1920s high society, blending glamour with profound psychological depth, and remains a haunting exploration of how shame and double standards destroy lives.
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Book Summary
In 1920s London, the enigmatic Iris Storm, marked by a scandalous reputation and a symbolic green hat, navigates a world of social hypocrisy and personal shame. Through confessional encounters and tragic entanglements, the novel explores the chasm between outward glamour and inner corruption, culminating in a desperate bid for love and redemption.
The novel opens with the narrator, a writer, encountering the mysterious Iris Storm, who wears a distinctive green hat. Iris is the twin sister of Gerald March, a reclusive writer obsessed with purity. Through a series of flashbacks and conversations, the narrator learns of Iris's scandalous past: her marriage to Hector Storm, her affair with Napier Harpenden, and her reputation as a 'shameless, shameful lady.' Gerald, tormented by his sister's perceived corruption, has withdrawn from society. The central conflict erupts at a tense dinner party where Iris and Napier plan to elope, but are confronted by Napier's father, Sir Maurice, and other friends who uphold social codes. Iris drives the narrator to Sutton Marle to reclaim her inheritance and her love, but the confrontation reveals deep-seated family secrets and moral hypocrisies. Ultimately, Iris's quest for purity and understanding ends in tragedy, as she drives her yellow Hispano-Suiza into a tree, a final act of defiance and despair. The narrator reflects on the impossibility of reconciling appearance with reality, and the corrosive effects of shame and social judgment.
Reading guide
Go deeper in The Green Hat
Character guides, themes, chapter companions — plus Character Web, narrative arc, and theme heatmap teasers that unlock fully beside the text in BetterReads.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
Iris March
The enigmatic and tragic heroine, known for her green hat and scandalous past.
Hilary Townshend
The narrator and close friend of Iris, deeply involved in her story.
Napier Harpenden
A handsome and sensitive man, entangled in a complex relationship with Iris.
Gerald March
Iris's brother, a troubled young man with a drinking problem.
Guy de Travest
A wealthy and cynical Frenchman, married to Iris for a time.
Venice Pollen
A beautiful and worldly woman, a friend and rival to Iris.
Appearance vs. Reality
The green hat itself symbolizes the contrast between outward glamour and inner turmoil; Iris Storm's polished, fashionable exterior hides deep shame, regret, and a fractured past, while characters like Gerald March project a defiant persona that masks vulnerability and fear.
Shame and Redemption
Iris Storm is haunted by shame over her past actions and relationships, seeking absolution through human understanding and confession, while the narrative explores whether redemption is possible for those who feel irredeemably soiled.
Social Class and Decadence
The novel contrasts the gritty, vibrant life of Shepherd's Market with the polished but morally compromised world of Mayfair, highlighting the decay of aristocratic values and the hollow pursuit of pleasure among the upper classes.
Purity and Corruption
Gerald March's obsessive quest for 'purity' and his hatred of his sister reflect a broader theme of the struggle between idealistic purity and the corrupting influence of desire, lust, and societal hypocrisy.