The New York Times bestselling novel by the author of Remarkable Creatures and The Last Runaway Translated into thirty-nine languages and made into an Oscar-nominated film, starring Scarlett Johanson and Colin Firth
Tracy Chevalier transports readers to a bygone time and place in this richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer’s most celebrated paintings.
… inspired one of Vermeer’s most celebrated paintings.
History and fiction merge seamlessly in this luminous novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening. Girl with a Pearl Earring tells the story of sixteen-year-old Griet, whose life is transformed by her brief encounter with genius . . . even as she herself is immortalized in canvas and oil.
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I loved this story.
I only wish there were room for further pages!
So-so
I LOVE the Dutch Masters, so reading this book brought their lives to light in a way even trips to Amsterdam were unable to do.
One of my all time favorites!
Excellent
Couldn’t put this book down! Great read!
I love all her books! They are fleshed-out characters, but based on historical facts.
predictable
Good
Unforgettable.
I enjoyed this book. Well written
awesome
28/1/12- Read it for year 12 English. Probably would have enjoyed it more if we hadn’t been forced to read the whole book out loud as a class – some of the scenes were not the kind to be read out loud with idiotic teenage boys jeering at the sex scenes (well, I thought they were sex scenes when I was 17). Despite that horribly embarrassing experience I enjoyed the story and should probably read it again now that it’s 10 years down the track.
New Review due to Reread
3/4/16 – It’s been another four years since I wrote that and I’m finally rereading it. Reading books like this one, with young women in vulnerable working positions because of their lower class status always make me twitchy. I have a high sense of justice and fairness and when there is a situation where someone isn’t treated with the fairness that I believe they deserve, in life or fiction, I get kind of ragey. Anyone who disturbs me better watch out for my wrath, because if I can’t scream at the characters I’m likely to take my frustration out on you. In this book I get angry with pretty much everyone – Vermeer for just assuming that it’s okay for Griet to work for him and not caring how it affects her life within the household, Catharina for taking her fears regarding her own insecurities out on Griet, Tanneke for believing that Griet was purposefully attracting all the attention Vermeer was paying her, Maria Thins for having the power to make things easier for Griet but not bothering to, and Cornelia for being a hateful and jealous little girl (see even children can’t escape my anger). To be continued…
4/4 – I think this will have to stay at three stars. It’s an interesting story and a creative idea for a backstory to Vermeer’s most well-known, and supposedly most impressive, painting, but for me the book was just ‘above average’ (hence the three stars) in regards to my enjoyment levels. After finishing it last night I spent quite a while on Wikipedia looking at Vermeer’s body of work and have come to the conclusion that I’m not that much of a fan. The painting that the book’s title takes its name from is the only one I can honestly say I actually like (the colours of the turban are very vibrant and eye-catching), for the rest of the paintings I find the subject matter (mostly domestic life portraits with a couple of religious scenes) dull and not something I would want to have hanging on my wall. I don’t think I’ll keep this in my library as I’m pretty sure I won’t read it again.
Good story, well written.
Enjoyed this book, as did our book group.
This novel inspires discussion.
I’m not sure what to think about this one. I can’t decide how I feel about the artist!
About painter Vermeer and how he painted so realistically. Also great story of his model/paint mixer/household maid. One of my top ten favorites.
The book helped me experience day to day medival life in the Netherlands and provides a viseral experience of what life was like when most were poor and servitude common. Even the artist was constrained by society and the church. Much better than the movie. Are we really better individuals now with more of everything but still medival in our behaviours at times.