Rating: 
Summary: An interesting, beautiful, disquieting story
Review: I thought this was a very well-written book and I enjoyed it. I was interested in the fact that Chevalier didn't take the trouble to paint Johannes Vermeer himself in a very sympathetic light -- why, I wonder? In the book, he was neither unkind nor ungentle, but still ruthlessly absorbed with his work, often to the detriment of the people around him. Chevalier paints Vermeer as a very selfish man in spite of his quiet aura.I never could decide if Griet completely realized that he viewed her at one time as just an object -- an object to paint, an object to view with a certain amount of hidden lust and the impersonal interest that lust provokes; an object to wear an earring. And in the end, it wasn't even her sweet, innocent, girl-on-the-brink of womanhood face that was the focal point of his picture of her -- it was the earring. Chevalier made me wonder if the painting shouldn't rather have been called "Pearl Earring With A Girl." How Chevalier managed to convey all this without making Vermeer come off as a complet b_stard (he really wasn't) is a testament to the clarity of her writing gift. The end of the story was a muted and tender surprise.
Rating: 
Summary: Eclectic Garbage
Review: A book full of modern sentiments but set in the 17th Century. Instead of wasting time reading someone's perceptions of an artist living in that age, it would be much more enriching to read Vasari's "Lives of the Artists" written in the days of Michelangelo by the architect who knew Michelangelo and other artists personally. As for romance, whatever occurs in this story can hardly be called that--especially by the standards of the 17th Century. Reading a modern writer's description of the lustful fantasies of an unrestrained teenage maid in that century is a sheer waste of time.
Rating: 
Summary: A FAST BUT GOOD READ
Review: The plot has been told. These are my thoughts.
Chevalier writes a touching story and writes it well. There is hopelessness in Griet's yearning for Vermeer; and yet, a sense of quiet, inner fulfillment, if only partial, is achieved by the simple meeting of their eyes and in his desire to paint her portrait. Though there is some question as to his feelings for her, a long awaited consummation occurs when he, in the end, bequeaths the pearl earrings to her. Griet's relationship with Pieter is the plight of a woman's married life during the 17th century. Love is secondary. Love may not even exist. Pieter is smitten by Griet, but Griet's acceptance of marriage to him is less of love, more of necessity. Pieter is the economic safety for Griet and her family. A woman must do as she's expected, like it or not. (Griet never expresses like or dislike.) Van Ruijven's lascivious acts, openly displayed and tolerated by those observing, is more evidence of the subjugation - to the point of humiliation - of women in centuries past. Chevalier, without personal commentary or injection of political and social bias, has clearly portrayed the social and economic injustices of that era. Like a painter, Chevalier has created a sensitive love story by skillful weaving of subtleties and nuances; and just as the painter's intentions and meanings of his finished product may be discerned only by careful viewing, Chevalier's intentions must be similarly revealed.
Rating: 
Summary: WRITING WITH AN ARTIST'S TOUCH
Review: GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is simply one of the most stunningly beautiful pieces of writing I've come across in some time. Chevalier's prose falls onto the page lightly, with a grace that makes it seem effortless. Like Vermeer's colors, light and shadows, it is lovingly and carefully constructed, built up in layers, each shining through with its own invaluable contribution to the whole. The girl in the painting is possessed of a natural, unassuming beauty -- there are none of the haughty airs affected by the 'high-born' ladies she serves, by the wives of her master's (Vermeer's) patrons, present in her expression. Her lovely face is a refreshing respite from the ones so often found in the paintings of the day -- her eyes are deep, honest and wide, taking in the world around her quietly and gently, missing very little. These perceived characteristics in Vermeer's subject are brought to life vividly by Chevalier in this novel. Griet -- brought into service to Vermeer's family as a kindness, after her father, a tile painter, loses his trade after being blinded in a kiln accident -- is instantly likable. She has a good soul, and loves her family dearly. She is modest and unpretentious -- when she feels desires welling up within her, whether material or emotional in nature, she is discomforted by them. When Vermeer and his wife come to the home of Griet and her parents to meet her for the first time, she is in the kitchen preparing food for her family. The eye of the artist is immediately drawn to her work on the counter -- she is cutting vegetables, and she has arranged them, without thinking about the reasons, by colors, arrayed like wedges cut from a wheel. Vermeer senses an innate artistic sensibility within her -- it is an image that will remain with him. When Griet comes to stay at Vermeer's house, living among his family, she quickly slips into the eddys and currents of 17th century Dutch family politics -- once again, without having to stop for more than a moment and consider, she intuitively knows whom she can count on to be fair, jealous, powerful, scheming, &c. She sees that the real power of the household rests not with Catharina, Vermeer's wife, but in his mother-in-law, Maria Thins. At the same time, the older woman sees in Griet something special -- this young woman (only 16 when she arrives) is no ordinary girl. Griet is entrusted with cleaning the master's studio on a daily basis -- with the explicit instructions that, other than leaving the area cleaner, she must never leave a sign that she has been there. She must be especially careful of the objects arranged in the area that Vermeer is painting -- they must never be moved. She undertakes this task cleverly, devising a system of her own whereby she can lift the objects and clean under them, replacing them exactly where she found them. Her work is careful and thorough and sensitive to Vermeer's wishes -- and she finds him more and more appreciative of her efforts. There is one particularly moving scene (among many in this novel) wherein Vermeer takes a moment to explain to Griet how seemingly pure colors contain within them other shades that are more subtle. He asks her what color the clouds are that she sees out the window -- she replies that they are white. He asks her to look again -- and she begins to see shades of blues and greys and pinks in them. She begins to understand how difficult it is for a painting to be born, for the effect to be such that it deeply touches and moves the viewer. One of Vermeer's patrons takes a licentious interest in Griet -- she resists his advances and attempts to avoid him when he comes to the house. Eventually, he persuades Vermeer to do a portrait of Griet for him -- a task that must be undertaken without the knowledge of Vermeer's wife, and, indeed, most of his family. Only the artist's mother-in-law, Maria Thins, knows about the portrait. As he works on it over a period of several months, it becomes more and more apparent to Griet that the completion of the painting will very likely signal her departure from the household. Along with other emotional events in her life during this period, it places a very real strain on her. She must come to terms with her situation, her view of herself, and her future -- within or without the artist's household. The book gives the reader an exceptionally clear of what life must have been like in 17th century Delft -- not only among the more privileged classes, but among the working people as well. Without coming across as patronizing in any way, Chevalier gives a sensitive rendering of these people and their times -- and in the process gives the reader a moving, entertaining experience that will not soon be forgotten. It's probably a bad habit on my part, but I normally steer clear of 'best sellers', preferring to stick to lesser-known authors and first novels -- I find, as a rule, that they tend to take more chances than someone attempting to write something for mass consumption. I have to admit that I avoided this novel for a while, knowing how well it has sold -- and I'll admit that that was a mistake. This is a book that well deserves all of the praise that it has received -- I can well understand how it has moved so many people. It's a wonderful thing to see something so well-written and uncompromising at the same time to be so widely appreciated.
Rating:
Summary: Not *my* image of the painting, but lovely portrait of Delft
Review: Very easy to read, lovely characterizations. I don't agree with the psychological insight this tries to give of the painting, but that's ok. The evocation of Delft, Vermeer, his troubled relationship with his wife--all nicely done. For someone familiar with the 17th century artist, the details about the paints, process of painting &c, &c felt pleasant and accurate--for someone not so, perhaps a nice education? A short, gentle slice of 17th century life, despite the compromises that get made.
Rating:
Summary: The best!!
Review: This book is one of the best I've read. And I read a lot, I've read about 50 books over the past 6 months.
You just have to read it. After the introductions in the first 50 pages, the story unfolds & you can't put it down!
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful little book
Review: This book is a quick, light read - I read it in one day - but it is nevertheless very beautiful. The writing is simple and the story fairly straightforward (that does not mean predictable or boring). One thing that I particularly liked is the way the author dealt with the problem of writing in the first person. How can the narrator think in the way the author wants to write? The author wants to tell you details about the light or the way someone looks, but that's often unnatural for the character narrating the story. In this case, Griet (the girl with the pearl earring) is herself sensitive to the aesthetic details of the world around her and so can naturally use the language of the author. And Chevalier allows the reader to see or hear these details with perfect clarity. On the very first page, for example, someone's voice is described as "bright as polished brass" and another's as "low and dark like the wood of the table". Lovely, evocative descriptions - and it is perfectly believable that Griet would think in those terms. Although I have seen the painting of the title reproduced many times, after reading the book, it is now one of my life goals to see the painting "in the flesh". (After seeing the Girl with a Milk Jug in real life after years of seeing it in reproduction, I know it will not disappoint.) I'm sure this book excites many readers to discover or rediscover Vermeer's wonderful paintings. I give the book four stars, not because there is anything *wrong* with it - it's just that it can't go in the same category as my absolute favourites such as by Pearl Buck or Thomas Hardy!
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Summary: Wonderful combination of fact and fiction
Review: Tracy Chevalier's inspiration for writing this novel came in the form of a Dutch painting entitled "Girl With a Pearl Earring." The painting, portraying a girl in a blue and yellow turban wearing a pearl earring, was painted by the famous Johannes Vermeer. Chevalier's "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is a creative and imaginative look inside the life of Vermeer's subject, the girl with a peal earring - Griet. At sixteen, Griet is sent off to work as a maid after her father has an accident and can no longer work in his trade. Her tasks at her new master's home are to clean his studio while managing to make it look as if it had not been touched and help with the normal housework. Her master, of course, is the painter Vermeer. "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is an account of Griet's time in the Vermeer household - her problems with the children, her brush with the plague, and, finally, the growing friendship between herself and her master and the trouble it brings. "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is a wonderfully written piece of literature that captures the reader's imagination. From the very first page, Chevalier had me hooked - I read the entire novel in one sitting! An extraordinary novel that manages to weave together fiction with fact, "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is a book to be read by all.
Rating:
Summary: Very nice book
Review: This is an interesting book written about the Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer. Very little is known about Vermeer. One of his most famous paintings, "Girl With a Pearl Earring," is both engaging and mysterious, not unlike the Mona Lisa. This is a fictional account of the possible origins of the girl in the painting. Taking what little is known about Vermeer and adding some history of Delft during the 1600's the author seamlessly weaves a story about the girl in the painting. This is a story of class differences, of romance and of a young woman's coming of age.16-year-old Griet goes to work as a maid in Vermeer's household after her father is blinded in an explosion and can no longer support the family. She is expected to know her place, which is well below the others in the household. As she expresses an interest in his work, Vermeer allows her to learn from him and to help him, and Griet finds herself being drawn to him. Meanwhile the butcher's son takes an interest in her, and her family encourages her relationship with him because he will be able to provide them with meat in their poverty-stricken circumstances.This book is very well-written, with every character and relationship carefully thought out, including Vermeer's selfish and demanding wife and his manipulative and scheming daughter. I really enjoyed the story and found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it.I rate this book at 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: wonderfully written, ispirational novel everyone should read
Review: Instantly, Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier draws its readers into an unfamiliar yet excitingly new setting in 1700th century Holland, where a sixteen-year-old timid girl sets the stage. Griet detests the idea of having to serve the family of rich painter Johannes Vermeer. Soon enough, though, Griet is faced with many inspirational experiences that she can no longer pretend do not intrigue her. This novel is the struggle between artist Vermeer and Griet and his desire to teach her how to be a more appreciative person who can see the true beauty of life and understand what love really is. I suggest that everyone seriusoly takes time out to read this novel. It captures life and beauty in its true essance and brought me to tears when I finished. I cannot ever remember being as moved and inspired as I was with this story...
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