'Black Oxen' Summary

Lee Clavering, a promising young playwright, finds himself captivated by the alluring Countess Olenska, an Austrian woman who possesses a youthful radiance that belies her true age. Despite the adoration of the vivacious flapper Janet, Lee is utterly smitten with the Countess, oblivious to the unsettling secret she harbors. The Countess, driven by a relentless desire to retain her youthful beauty, has resorted to a mysterious elixir, a pseudoscientific concoction that promises to defy the natural aging process. This elixir, however, comes with a dark side, leading to a series of bizarre and unsettling events that threaten to unravel the fragile facade of the Countess's seemingly perfect life. As Lee delves deeper into the Countess's world, he uncovers a web of secrets, lies, and dangerous obsessions, forcing him to confront the true nature of his own affections and the unsettling implications of the pursuit of eternal youth.