What one reviewer said about Henry James and the Real Thing:
Some things just shouldn't be put down on paper. The Real Thing by Henry James is a slow-moving, long winded piece of writing that never should have made it past the publisher.
In its' drabness, the story describes a painter who deals with different models - two of them are static rich characters who SHOULD be the ideal models. However, the painter also has poorer characters who arrive to get painted. These characters are much more dynamic and can mimic any type of form.
This book was a terrible read and hence should be used to balance a wobbly table. After all, that is all it's good for.
hard to understand.
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