As with most of her novels, Krantz's main concern in Mistral's Daughter is the true nature of love. She uses her knowledge of the world of fashion magazines to give a sense of the reality behind the glamorous business of modeling. The illusion of beauty and perfection is achieved only through a daily grind, persistent discipline and ruthless competition. Miracles can happen; the "ugly" girl off the street can be next year's beauty, as styles change and she discovers her charismatic relationship with the camera.

The most interesting exploration undertaken by Krantz in this novel is the world of the artist, in this case a French painter named Julien Mistral.

Krantz portrays the colossal egotism of a great painter which the lesser beings, mostly women, who serve him willingly accept as inherent to his greatness. Krantz is convincing in this, for she also captures the obsession...