The Fountain of St.James Court; or Portrait of  the Artist as an Old Woman by Sena Jeter Naslund, is a novel inside a novel, switching from present day Kentucky, to the past, during the life of  French painter Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1755–1842).

In the present, we have Kathryn Callaghan, who has just completed her novel, Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman. Naslund’s novel takes place over the course of one day in Kathryn’s life as she leaves her novel on a friend’s doorstep to read, and goes on about her day, mostly daydreaming. Very little happens, and it is her inner workings that Naslund explores, while weaving in the life of Vigée-Lebrun as well.

The novel was interesting enough, and well written, but somehow missed the mark. I just didn’t care all that much what happened to any of the characters. I found it tiresome and forgetful.