Rating: 
Summary: Rich Story
Review: This historical novel smoothly weaves fact and fiction into a fascinating tale about 17th-century Delft, Jan Vermeer and a young woman's coming of age. It's a rich story that should be read slowly and savored, and at that, it ends too soon.Midway through, I went to the library and checked out a Time-Life book about Vermeer in order to have copies of his paintings beside me as I read about them in The Girl With a Pearl Earring. It doubled my reading pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: "Quietly Beautiful"
Review: This is the kind of first novel many serious writers ache to produce. Chevalier effectively takes us away from the hustle and noise of the 21st Century--the omnipresent cell phones, the whirring faxes, the beeping answering machines--into a world rich in silence and texture. Practically from the beginning the reader will find herself unconsciously relaxing as Chevalier quickly brings 17th Century Delft to life: the silence of darkened rooms, the crackle from a kitchen fireplace, the muffled sounds of feet moving swiftly up stone stairs. The heroine, Griet, is an intelligent 16 year old who, because of a family tragedy, is ripped from her poor but closely knit family to work as a maid for artist Johannes Vermeer's household. Unlike her own home's rather straightforward traumas (how to survive now that her father, a tilemaker, has been blinded in an industrial accident), the superficially quiet Vermeer household seethes with jealously, turmoil, intrigue and secrets. Griet comes as a maid, but she evolves into a painter's assistant and, ultimately, muse--a transformation that changes the direction she may otherwise have chosen for herself. Chevalier brilliantly and persuasively describes the rigor and tedium required to maintain a 17th Century home; just reading through Griet's daily workload is enough to make one want to take a nap. The divison between server and served, the fine line Griet must walk to please her insecure new mistress and her perfidious children, make modern sensibilities bridle. Life, as John Kennedy liked to observe, is not fair. And as this book matter of factly points out, it was even less so before democracy's leavening influence. My biggest regret re Chevalier's book was that there wasn't more of it. There didn't need to be, but I was sorry, even with its bittersweet ending, that the book had come to an end.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I've read in years
Review: I have long been a fan of Vermeer, and his mystery is intriguing - now that I have read this book, I not only know him, but i know Delft, I know the life and times of the 1600s, and I know some of his models. Anyone who has ever seen a Vermeer will love this book, or anyone who read The Agony and The Ecstasy will love it. Chevalier's descriptions are like paintings in themselves. What a talent she has. I am recommending this book to all my artist friends.
Rating:
Summary: Exquisite writing and a compelling story
Review: This is a gem of a novel, and 17th century Delft comes alive in the deceptively simple but beautiful prose. Unlike many other historical novels, Chevalier's characters are not merely 20th century people wearing period clothing-- they are 17th-century people with 17th century values and world-views. I was cheering for Griet, an intelligent and lively misfit in the restricted world of a maid-of-all-work, as she discovers that she has an artist's eye and that there's a world out there more interesting and more rewarding than what's in store for her. But this novel has very bittersweet ending, and I did not have as much respect for Griet by the end of the book as I did in the beginning. Life is full of compromises, and Griet's compromises end up hobbling her, I think. Anyhow, the book is exquisitely written and the characters stay with you after the last page is turned. I'm glad I read it, and if you like quality historical fiction, you'll enjoy it, too.
Rating:
Summary: The Sounds Of Books Pearl And Fur
Review: I could hear rich carpets in their voices, books and pearls and fur". When you come across that sentence on page 1 paragraph 2 the stage is set, and on it is the treasure that is this book, by Ms. Tracy Chevalier. The protagonist Griet speaks the words, and they set the tone for a beautifully crafted piece of literature. The writing is elegant, there is no pretense, and in one instant at the end, the Author had Griet doing something that I was hoping would happen from early in the book. It was a bonus, as the book in its entirety was excellent. Whether or not you are familiar with the work of Vermeer will not hamper the reading of the book. I took the advice of another reviewer, but I chose to view the paintings after the book was read. I was familiar with certain of his pieces, but I enjoyed viewing those discussed in the book after Ms. Chevalier had painted them in my mind's eye. It was like a visual sequel to the book. This is the type of book I would happily have read were it 2 or 3 times its length. However the Authoress delivers a wonderful story with the words she needs, no more, no less. The illusion of having read a much longer work is a tribute to her as a writer. Buy it, no regrets here.
Rating:
Summary: GRIPPING
Review: Girl With a Pearl Earring was not only gripping and moving, it was distrubing and provoking. I couldn't put it down. It was sad, yet Griet is so elegant. The character, Griet, is complex. She is young, yet know the way of world and of things. At times she seems very adult, and others, such a child. Why I liked this book, I don't know. It's not my kinds of genre. After reading it, I found it was a bit dark. The beginning was like any other book. I think I will always think about the book and it's plot. I encourage you to read it!
Rating:
Summary: Girl with a Pearl Earring
Review: This is a wonderful book - a great story. I would recommend looking at some of Vermeer's paintings before or while reading it to get a fuller sense of what Chevalier describes. This is one of those books that stays with you once you've finished it.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautifully written
Review: Girl with a Pearl Earring deserves the praise it has garnered. Chevalier writes with precision, creativity, and intelligence, and her prose can only be described as lyrical. It's a slim volume and easily read, which I found a slight disappointment. Given the complexity of Griet and Vermeer--and of the novel's situation--I expected more complexity from the plot. Griet's situation seemed to resolve too easily. Nonetheless, Girl with a Pearl Earring is well worth reading--and rereading. Griet is a fabulous character, and Chevalier has done a magnificent job bringing her to life.
Rating:
Summary: girl with a pearl earring
Review: Tracy Chevalier brings 17th-century Delft to life in this immersive novel. Although Vermeer remains elusive, Griet the maid leaps out from the canvas and onto the page in living color. Chevalier's book is quietly insistent and thoroughly addictive; her language maintains a taut, lyrical precision and she revels in the lists and catalogues of daily life. Like a Vermeer painting, Chevalier creates a seductively textured world that radiates mystery and captivates the reader. She has done her art historical homework, too, which creates a convincing and satisfying product.
Rating:
Summary: Like the Painting
Review: Like the paintings of Vermeer, Tracy Chevalier writes with incredible clarity, detail, and elegance. This book postulates who the subject of this painting was and why she was painted. It does not disappoint. The author's earlier book, Virgin Blue, is only available from amazon.co.uk. While not as perfect as this book, it is also enjoyable.
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