 The narrative is set mainly in Europe, especially in England and Italy.Generally regarded as the masterpiece of his early phase, "The Portrait of a Lady" is described as a psychological novel, exploring the minds of his characters, and almost a work of social science, exploring the differences between Europeans and Americans, the old and the new worlds.The second period of James's career, which extends from the publication of "The Portrait of a Lady" through the end of the nineteenth century, features less popular novels including "The Princess Casamassima", published serially in "The Atlantic Monthly" in 1885–1886, and "The Bostonians", published serially in "The Century Magazine" during the same period.