Girl with a Pearl Earring

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant - But Not Great
Review: I read this book after several friends recommended it to me. Like several other reviewers I found it to be a pleasant read, but not an outstanding one. There are many positives to this book. It is well written and extremely informative as to the life and times of Vermeer as well as to the painter's craft. My main complaints would be fact that I really did not feel like I know much more about any of the characters at the end of the book than I did at the beginning. Its an informative book, and well worth the read, but it would not rank on the list of the best books I have read so far this year.

Rating:
Summary: What an enjoyable story
Review: What an enjoyable story about the artist Vermeer from a young girl's viewpoint. Tracy Chevalier's novel was such a pleasantly surprising adaptation of what might have happened between an artist and his muse. I added this book to my list of recommendations, especially for teen readers.

Rating:
Summary: A Let Down Ending
Review: I did enjoy Girl with a Pearl Earing. I thought the characters were well written and true to life. However, if you were looking for a story of scandal (a painter having an affair with his young maid) you won't find it. This is that classic tale of first love, one-way-street love, and love that can never be. It's a story about settling for second best, being trapped by your class, and the grass-is-always-greener feeling. Though the Girl in question has a strong backbone, she too suffers from the imobilization that love, lust, and infatuation give us.
I did enjoy reading the book, but the hype and descriptions written about it mislead my expectations.

Rating:
Summary: Culture Lite
Review: A good book, not a great one. Chevalier has created a fictional life for the girl with a pearl earring in Vermeer's luminous painting. This artifice is effective, and there is ample detail about 17th century Holland to support the plot. Yet the book is a light read. An account of the girl's budding love life and the gossipy goings-on in Vermeer's household. This will certainly appeal to those who prefer linear pop novels to deeper explorations of human or historical topics. It's a book to be read in a weekend.

Rating:
Summary: Quiet and Stirring
Review: A quiet and stirring book. As elegantly composed as a Vermeer painting itself, Tracy Chevalier seems to draw out of the darkness only the necessary scenes and dialogue.

Rating:
Summary: Simply amazing
Review: Tracy Chevalier's novel is one of the best I've ever read. She creates Vermeer's world perfectly, down to every little detail without making it seem like a textbook. Though the plot is simple, it doesn't detract from the story at all, because of her superb characterizations and setting. The story follows sixteen-year-old Griet, who becomes a maid for the Vermeers. She slowly comes to know Vermeer, and his world of painting. This is an incredible historical tale that will keep you intrigued the whole time.

Rating:
Summary: very disappointing
Review: I heard so much about this book I thought it would be worthwhile, but it was really disappointing. The plot is paper thin, the characters are flat, and there doesn't seem to be a point other than describing the "story" of this painting. Struck me as an MFA writing exercise rather than a real novel. Also had my pet peeve - a totally unrealistic villian who is evil "just because" - has no apparent reason to be in conflict with the main character yet pursues her destruction with bizzare singlemindedness (made worse in this case since the villian is a child! What child can concentrate on one thing for 24 hours, much less years of careful manipulation to destroy someone whom she has no real reason to hate?) I wouldn't reccommend it. Maybe it's popular just because it's so simple - unintimidating for people unused to reading.

Rating:
Summary: Girl with a Pearl Earring
Review: This story is about 16th century Holland and how life was for the everyday person. It paints a picture of how one young girl became a woman. It offers a window into what little is known about Vermeer and his family and how the relationship between Vermeer and a maid altered all their lives forever. You are left to wonder at Vermeer's true desires as he paints one of the most famous and haunting pictures of his time. As you read you become intricately involved in each character's life and decisions. It's an amazing book and a great, quick read. I absolutely loved this book. I read it because my mom strongly recommended it and I think it's a perfect book for mothers to share with their daughters.

Rating:
Summary: Easy to read
Review: I found the book to be enjoyable and an easy read. The characters and places were described beautifully so that I could easily create my own mental picture of them. Chevalier captures the whimsy and the complexity of a young girl caught up in a world in which she has little control. I could identify with many of the emotions of the main character.

Rating:
Summary: A new twist on a historical event
Review: Griet, the fictional character on which Chevalier bases her novel is a likable, relatable teenage girl. Chevalier's idea for her book is a creative one, inventing a fake muse for a real painting. She mixes fiction with fact in such a tantalizing way that she makes this book and Griet seem real. Her vivid descriptions of Holland give the reader a feel for what it was really like during Vermeer's time period. For readers who like historical fiction, this is a good book to read.