The Third Violet is, in almost every respect, a stark departure from Stephen Crane’s previous novels: a light, frothy, summertime tale of love, class, and art. Told extensively through incidental dialogue and minor incident, Crane’s novel gives us a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the burgeoning romance between temperamental artist Billie Hawker and Grace Fanhall, an upper-class woman who remains continually flummoxed by her would-be suitor’s “ridiculousness.” The Third Violet is, in almost every respect, a stark departure from Stephen Crane’s previous novels: a light, frothy, summertime tale of love, class, and art. Told extensively through incidental dialogue and minor incident, Crane’s novel gives us a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the burgeoning romance between temperamental artist Billie Hawker and Grace Fanhall, an upper-class woman who is continually flummoxed by her would-be suitor’s "ridiculousness." Through their courtship, Crane probes into the divides that exist between men and women, rural and urban, and bourgeois and bohemian. - Summary by ChuckW - temporary summary