In the groundbreaking 1956 novel a beautiful young American travels to Paris with his girlfriend to deliberate their future marriage. In the city of light David discovers Paris’ vibrant queer community and falls in love with Giovanni an Italian bartender at a local gay bar. Unsettled by the discovery of an effeminate nature in himself and the men around him and scared by the newfound force of his desire and passion David is unable to imagine a future public life with Giovanni and disappears into his past self setting off a series of fatal tragic accidents