... by Louisa Treger.  Read on to find out what I thought ...

HenrietteTheodora Markovitch was born on November 22nd, 1907, in the city of Paris.  She grew up to become Dora Maar,  the photographer,pioneering Surrealist artist, antifascist and muse of Pablo Picasso.  The Paris Muse is an exploration of Maar’srelationship with Picasso.
In many respects, this book could be seen as a romance, but there’s a lot of discord in the relationship,a lot of distrust, and yet a common bond persists that keeps these two together, even after long periods of separation.
In one other respect, thebook is an enigma.  Despite the centralcharacters being real people who have both left a body of artistic work behind, along with numerous well-researched books about each of their lives, it is described as a novel.
I’ve seen someof Maar’s works.  I’ve seen some ofPicasso’s work, too.  When I visitexhibitions, I like to figure out what the artist is telling me with each piece I view.  Sometimes, thereal message may in a tiny detail somewhere on the canvas or in the photo.  That time spent looking and deciphering is mytreat to myself and always the reason for my trip to whichever exhibition it is.  It also means that I have reached certain conclusions about the artist's mind. So, picking up a book about people that I know something about, and toread on the cover the words ’A novel’ was a bit perplexing.  However, the author does state in the notesat the back that she has based her fiction ‘on the biographical facts’ of DoraMaar’s life.  She then goes on to saythat she applied artistic license to ‘facts, characterisations, … andchronologies.’  The middle aspect Iget.  The other two not so much.
I startedreading with a feeling of trepidation. But, I soon realised, that the story was every bit as gripping as anydrama that invites the reader to examine the dynamics between thecharacters.  The story is thought-provoking,tense with emotion and passion and countered by the various periods of distresssupposedly experienced by Maar.  Thenarrative voice is easy and carries you through every page and all the highs andlows of this imagined relationship.  Itwas a thoroughly good read.
 To turn back to reality.  Maar had an eight-year relationship withPicasso, both on a personal and a professional level.  They both influenced each other and Maar wasthe model for Picasso’s piece Monument à Apollinaire and featured in other works namely WeepingWoman.  Maarcontinued her own work and died on July 16th, 1997, in the city whereshe had spent the majority of her life.