With de Beauvoir's denial notwithstanding, Les Belles Images is said to have been influenced by the conception of the "New Novel" because of the lack of psychological substance of her characters. It is considered a cerebral work, and the reason for its being associated with the "New Novel" in the critic's mind probably stems from the detached dialogue of its first few pages that are so reminiscent of Nathalie Sarraute's writings where we often remains unsure as to the identity of the speakers. The setting of the novel has earned it comparisons with the works of Francoise Sagan whose novels share the same social setting.