Margaret and Elsie Balfour have been raised on a farm in South Canterbury in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The sisters' lives diverge when Elsie leaves for the United Kingdom to study medicine at Edinburgh University. As the eldest, Margaret remains at home, taking on the expected role of caring for her many siblings. When tragedy strikes, the trajectory of both of the sisters' lives is changed forever.

Beautifully illustrated and accompanied with family photographs and historical ephemera, The Writing Desk highlights the daily trials and societal prejudices that women faced in the colonial era and offers a fascinating comparison to contemporary gender imbalances young women are still challenged by today.