The Man is a romantic novel set in England in the early twentieth century. It follows two childhood companions, Leslie Rowland and Stephen Norman, who grow up together and later find their lives shaped by their feelings for one another and by the expectations of their society. Leslie is an heiress with strong opinions, and Stephen is a capable, principled young man.
The book explores courtship, pride, class and the roles open to women and men of the period. It stands out in Stoker's work for its focus on a determined female character and for its lack of any supernatural element. It is of interest to readers curious about the range of his writing beyond his famous horror fiction.