“Franklin King keeps you in suspense throughout. Intriguing. The plot is very enjoyable. Being from Austin, it was awesome reading about Charlie's start at the University of Austin and Lake Travis. How his love for art evolved to his journey to Paris and the woman in the window.”
—Amy (Amazon.com)
“An absorbing novel about a fighter pilot in the Vietnamese war, this book is recommended for those who experienced that war—or any war. The protagonist travels in France and Ireland, but his most interesting journeys are the journeys of his mind. He may have been a Marine pilot, but he was also an artist and a romantic. Follow this unforgettable character on his mysterious journey. The final destination may surprise you.”
—paperbackreader (Amazon.com)
“For me this was a very interesting and suspenseful read. The author does an astonishing complete job of setting the scene with very detailed descriptions of the settings involving the main characters. I did have the feeling that I was right there with the characters in the scene.
You feel transported to these scenes which are like going on a global trek from the jungles of Vietnam, the foothills of Texas, the streets of Paris and the French countryside, the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam and the charms of the Irish countryside. The cover of the book sets the story line as an American pilot (who goes by the name of Pilot) is shot down over enemy territory during the Vietnam Conflict. He suffes a permanent injured leg with a subsequent limp as well as post traumatic injuries.
Though a college professor by trade, his dream is to paint more of an impressionist style.
He goes to Paris where he encounters the strikingly beautiful lady who becomes his subject for a painting and the title of this book.
But somehow he loses contact with this character and only has his sketch of her to remind him of her reality in his life. Later he meets and begins to paint another lady he encounters in a park setting. She is somewhat like the pygmalion effect lady in that she is beautiful, sweet, very intellectual, knowledgeable in the arts, and wealthy as well (in fact she drives him around in a Mercedes Bugatti convertible) and who importantly especially likes Yeats (as does he since Pilot is also a poet).
They end up at a Masquerade party toward the climax of the book, as does the re-appearing Lady in the Window. Masquerade is an appropriate setting because things often are not as they seem in the story as you perceive there may be a thin line between illusion and reality. In a some ways I think you can consider the book a mystery romance which helps hold your interest.
Regardless, I think most readers will find it rich with information detail, an intriguing story line, and a book that forces one to think outside the box often.”
—Treasure Seeker (Amazon.com)
