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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Loved, loved, loved this book.
Interesting historical fiction, beautifully written.
love stories about artists and art
If you love historical fiction, this book is necessary to read!
For those who like Historic fiction. Engaging, interesting read, some tension, but not too stressful. Easy reading, but not unsophisticated, some different descriptions, without seeming she just used a thesaurus. Enjoyed reading it.
Great historical fiction and window into the life and era of Vermeer.
Fascinating history, and well-written.
A glimpse into a different time and culture.
Superior writing. Great Character Development.
One of my all time favorites!
An interesting take on Dutch life in the 17th century, with insight into Vermeer’s work and family along with the social strata of the time.
The main character is the family’s young, pretty maid who becomes the girl with the pearl earring, which impacts both her family and his.
The book is nicely written, but it doesn’t develop the characters to any depth, and there isn’t much action or suspense. Just a nicely flowing historical fiction novel.
Loved it
It was rather downbeat, about a young girl who had to leave her family and go to work as a maid in the home of a painter and his wife and many children in Amsterdam. All the money she earned each week had to be turned over to her mother, since her father had been blinded and could no longer work, and her brother was an apprentice in a shop who almost never came home. Only her younger sister was still at home, too young to work. The work at the painter’s house was very hard, doing laundry until her hands bled, dusting, sweeping, mopping, shopping for food, helping to prepare the food, sewing, caring for the children, and more. As a Protestant, the maid was uneasy about the pictures in the Roman Catholic home. After a long while, the painter began to pay attention to her, letting her clean his studio, then grind the pigments to make his paints, and finally to sit for a painting, that of The Girl with the Pearl Earring. To find out what happened next, read the book!
Wonderful descriptions of 17th Century Delft and Vermeer’s artistic practice
A grim and dreary book in which no good occurs. All of the characters and society but one are depressing. Another Bookbub loser.
Loved it! Art history and romance!
Love Vermeer and this author!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Having previously read Girl in Hyacinth Blue, I found Girl with a Pearl Earring just as entertaining.
Good use of history for fiction, believable story