"An epic of two families, the Izlars and the Woodruffs, whose lives move in parallel lines and sometimes intermingle, Fleming's aristocrats are the descendants of Faulkner's Sartoris and Compson families. Illicit love, Southern justice in the early 20th century, and finally the conflict between desire to become an artist and the assumption of family responsibilities are the themes that govern the work and weave themselves into the fabric of this splendid novel". -- Kansas City Star New American Writing Award