Girl with a Pearl Earring – Tracy ChevalierEvan’s ESS = 7 out of 10
Erin’s ESS = 6 out of 10
Content = PG-13 (Adult Content, Violence, Jealousy, Sudden Infectious Disease Outbreak)
Why: Girl with a Pearl Earring probably won’t change your life, unless you’re really into the Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer. Also, in our tireless fight to prevent accidental book title confusion, be sure you don’t absentmindedly pick up Girl with a One-Track Mind, which focuses entirely on a female’s single-mindedness towards the topic of s… se… intercourse.
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a solid historical fiction read. Vermeer was an amazing painter and we do require you to have a copy of said artwork nearby for inspiration (don’t test us - we have ways of finding these things out). Capitalizing on the true life mystery surrounding this painting, Ms. Chevalier is able to spin a very convincing narrative. Enter Griet, a seemingly innocent servant who is the catalyst for much more than a portrait within the Vermeer household. The novel is painted with wondrous detail of 17th century Holland (actually the city is located in South Holland, within the Netherlands, however both descriptions seemed laborious) and painted with enough realism that the account seems not only plausible, but the favorable choice. The novel left us wanting a little more in the relationship building arena, but overall it was a good read.
We’ve also been anxious to watch the Girl with a Pearl Earring owing mainly to the fact that Scarlett Johnson looks eerily similar to the individual featured in the Vermeer painting. Seriously, has anyone ever checked her bloodline?
Have you read her book based on The Lady and The Unicorn?
ReplyDeleteHi Esme,
ReplyDeleteI've not yet read the one about The Lady and the Unicorn. Would you recommend it? My next Chevalier book is probably going to be Burning Bright.