Vanity Fair in half the time Becky Sharp is the most alluring yet ruthless heroine ever to climb the social ladder. From sordid bohemian beginnings she moves upwards through Regency society, betraying her husband, her friend Amelia and all who cross her in her determination to acquire power. In post-war London after Waterloo, Becky continues her manipulative schemes but finds herself thwarted by personal and social forces.