A novel, known in English as On the Eve, set in Russia in the 1850s. Elena, a thoughtful young woman, is surrounded by suitors, among them an artist and a serious student. She longs for a life of purpose and is drawn to Insarov, a Bulgarian determined to free his country from foreign rule. Their relationship raises questions about duty, love and what Russia's own educated men are doing with their lives. It is a quiet and moving portrait of idealism in a restless time.