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Summary: Which "Vermeer book" to read?
Review: Art lovers, and particularly Vermeer lovers, have been so lucky this year to have had two "Vermeer novels" available at the same time! And both of them are wonderful! Some debate has appeared on the Amazon pages for the two books--Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland--as to which book is "better," a debate likely to continue. Both books are short, both are extremely well written, both involve a hypnotizingly seductive Vermeer painting, and both tell of the influence of the painting on the lives of the main characters. In Girl With A Pearl Earring, author Chevalier focuses her literary microscope on Griet, a maid in the Vermeer household who becomes an assistant to the painter. Griet is a young woman who maintains her integrity despite the turbulence and social pressures to which she is subjected in the household. Life in Delft and in this family during the time of the painting is replete with petty jealousies, economic pressures, class distinctions, religious differences, and political and social uncertainty, and Griet has to navigate her way through this milieu. It is through her character and domestic situation that one comes to know Vermeer and his painting. Girl in Hyacinth Blue, on the other hand, is not a "character novel." Here the author does not zero in on one character or even the painting as an end in itself. Instead, Vreeland takes a broader, more global view, using the history of a hitherto undiscovered Vermeer painting to work backward from the present to the painting's inception in Delft. The "story" here is a careful tracing of themes--the relationship between personal love and responsibility to mankind in general, the role of art in the lives of ordinary people, and what constitutes lasting value both in art and in human interactions. In seven or eight chapters we see how the painting has affected the lives of its various owners. Ultimately, comparing these beautifully wrought novels is like comparing pearl earrings to hyacinths. Both are gorgeous; each is unique.
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Summary: Wonderful book, slowly paced, but purposely so...
Review: Don't expect smash up action, betrayal or political intrigue. This book is as placid as a beautiful lake on a sunny day. It helps immensely that you have some knowledge going in about Vermeer's paintings. Without it, you may be going in half-blind. Otherwise, for those of us who have always been fans of this Dutch master, the mysterious one who has so very few paintings to his credit, this book makes the painting come alive in a way that makes sense. I loved this book and recommend it highly if you're looking for a "break" from the horrors of a busy work day.
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Summary: A nice weekend read
Review: Once started, Girl With a Pearl Earring is difficult to put down. There are no quirky characters or exciting plot twists, yet you are drawn into Griet's world, and want to know what becomes of her. The book can be easily read in a weekend, and is perfect for a short "escape". While there was little about the book to ponder after putting it aside, it is a wonderful book for anyone curious about art or history.
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Summary: Who said you can't tell a book by it's cover?
Review: The story is beautiful, narration poignant, plot moving, characters memorable, style artistic, imagery quiet & nostalgic... This little novel is a masterpiece, just like Vermeer's actual painting of the girl with an earring. Chevalier deftly mingles history and fiction to produce something exquisitely charming. I couldn't help but constantly glance at the painting of "Griet" on the jacket as I devoured the book. This is a must-read.
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Summary: this book put me off
Review: Our heroine attracts, "the master's" attention by her superior ability to clean his studio. Fifty pages later she summons enough nerve to criticize his artwork by rearranging a cloth. This is one of those books you keep reading because you think that sooner or later something's gonna happen. It never does.
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Summary: Enchanting novel about the Dutch Mona Lisa.
Review: "Girl with a Pearl Earring," by Tracy Chevalier, is a story set in Delft, Holland in the 17th Century. A lovely sixteen-year-old named Griet, whose family has suffered financial setbacks, is sent to be a maidservant in the home of the great Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer. Griet finds herself drawn to the world of Vermeer--a world of light, color, beauty and perfect composition. Griet shows an aptitude for understanding art and she gradually begins to assist Vermeer in his painting. Griet's involvement in Vermeer's art sets the stage for family conflict. (The title of the novel comes from a Vermeer painting that is known as the Dutch Mona Lisa because of the enigmatic young woman in the portrait.) This novel is a small gem and it is an immensely satisfying work of fiction. Chevalier perfectly captures the life of 17th Century Delft, with its sharp religious and class distinctions, and her nuanced dialogue and descriptive passages are beautifully textured. In fact, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is like a Vermeer portrait. It is expressive, subtle and meaningful. I highly recommend this book for people who are fascinated by art and who enjoy historical fiction.
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Summary: I read this in one sitting...
Review: I was on the train from Montana to Illinois, but I just couldn't put down this charming book. It was a wonderful story, wonderfully told from the perspective of the young subject of a Vermeer painting. I had to read this after visiting Amsterdam last year and falling in love, more than any other artist, with Johannes Vermeer. This fictional account of the painting brought me back to Holland, and back in time. I look forward to more books by this talented writer!
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Summary: Evocative, sensual, I could almost smell the linseed oil
Review: I (literally) did not set this book down once I opened the cover. The mystery of Vermeer, the strangeness of his household, Griet -- capped and uncapped -- I could hardly wait to know what would happen next. One of the most engaging, memorable books I've read in a very long time.
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Summary: Vermeer's spirit of realism caught in print
Review: This American, who lives and writes in London, has crafted a deceptively straightforward novel. The story is inspired by one of Vermeer's finest and most famous paintings, and this novel is the most enjoyable I have read all summer. In a day and age when writers seem to equate complexity of plot and obfuscation of language with the prerequisites of a serious novel, Ms. Chevalier reminds us that a simple story, told well, can enrapture our hearts and imaginations and instruct us, and entertain us all at the same time. The story is told in first person through the eyes of 16-year-old Griet, and is set in 17c. Netherlands where the divisions of life-master and servant, rich and poor, Protestant and Catholic-are sharp and well established. Although we see the world through Griet's eyes, we only glimpse at her deep emotions that she shields from us, the reader, almost as effectively as she hides them from the outside world. Griet, whose family has fallen on hard times, is employed as a maid in the Vermeer household; a home full of personality landmines that keep Griet on her toes and a perpetual outsider. Griet's serene manner and spirit soon attract the attention of the master painter and she is drawn, half unwillingly, into a chain of events that will set the course of her life. Chevalier tells this tale against a backdrop of realism so prized in Vermeer's paintings. It is a straightforward story without the adornments of the physical, emotional and sexual scars that so often permeate today's novels. This is a quick and highly satisfying read and one that I know I will look forward to visiting again in a few years.
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Summary: What an incredible book...
Review: Ms. Chevalier has truly out-done herself with Girl With A Pearl Earring. Griet (the girl to whom the title refers) is easy to relate to, even as she is in the remarkable setting of Vermeer's studio. Ms. Chevalier's deliciously colorful descriptions make this book one that this reader could not put down. Via this book, the reader is able to step out of technology-based, 21st century America and into the intense, 17th century Holland. This is a story not to be missed.
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