The novel The Spoils of Poynton represents a major turning point in the stylistic development of American literary master Henry James, as he eased into the tense, taut drawing-room dramas that would come to characterize his later work. The story centers on the struggle between a widow and her son as they decide what to do with the family collection of antiques, but under the surface, it’s a brilliant look at family dynamics during a period of change, turmoil and shifting roles.