Book Review: Girl with a Pearl Earring

Book Details:
Title: Girl with a Pearl Earring
Author: Tracy Chevalier
2001, Plume
ISBN: 0-452-28215-2
Genre: Historical Fictions


Book Summary (from Goodreads):
Girl with a Pearl Earring centers on Vermeer's prosperous Delft household during the 1660s. When Griet, the novel's quietly perceptive heroine, is hired as a servant, turmoil follows. First, the 16-year-old narrator becomes increasingly intimate with her master. Then Vermeer employs her as his assistant--and ultimately has Griet sit for him as a model. Chevalier vividly evokes the complex domestic tensions of the household, ruled over by the painter's jealous, eternally pregnant wife and his taciturn mother-in-law. At times the relationship between servant and master seems a little anachronistic. Still, Girl with a Pearl Earringdoes contain a final delicious twist.


My Review:
This book was on my list of Page to Screen books to read for this year's reading challenge. A book I normally wouldn't have picked up most likely. I did enjoy this book, although I really know nothing about the painter or the time period.


Griet was a young, but intelligent girl who, through a family tragedy, ends up working as a maid for the famous painter, Vermeer's, household. She is hired to clean the studio and becomes increasingly pulled into the actually work - grinding paints and such. She is very fascinated by her master, Vermeer. That in itself is a little frustrating to me... because she seems to sense the wrongness of it, but can't shake the attraction even as it causes increasing issues within the household.


This is a very interesting novel, based on real characters. We really have no idea who The Girl with the Pearl Earring was - and this is an inspired fictional take on a historical event.