Girl with a Pearl Earring

Aug 04, 2007 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

I know almost nothing about art, but even I can tell that Girl With a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer is a brilliant painting; 'captivating' is probably the best word to describe it. One presumes that Chevalier agrees with me, and this is what lead her to write a novel about the painting, its subject and its creator. So, is the novel as captivating as the piece that inspired it?

The short answer would be 'no'.

Now for the longer answer...

Chevalier is probably one of the best-known historical nov...more I know almost nothing about art, but even I can tell that Girl With a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer is a brilliant painting; 'captivating' is probably the best word to describe it. One presumes that Chevalier agrees with me, and this is what lead her to write a novel about the painting, its subject and its creator. So, is the novel as captivating as the piece that inspired it?

The short answer would be 'no'.

Now for the longer answer...

Chevalier is probably one of the best-known historical novelists of the last ten years, with this book always in the foreground when she is discussed. As far as historical information goes, I think she does okay with it. I had a pretty clear picture of the Netherlands in the seventeenth century by the time I was done with the book (whether or not its accurate or not is another matter), but I felt at times that there wasn't that detail that critics proclaimed about on the cover.

The characters, I feel, are never truly developed. Vermeer himself remains a mystery throughout, even to the protagonist and narrator, Griet, who appears to have some connection with him. Griet meanwhile, is what I would describe as a stock teenage girl character. She is similar to many characters I've read before, and yet she does not really advance on that.

The narrative style is one that I would have adored at 14, but by now find to be pedestrian. This is first person narrative at its simplest (and blandest) and I don't feel that we gain anything from it - the novel may just as well have been in third person and would not have suffered for it. It may even have benefited from it.

The structure is interesting. Split into parts that represent years, rather than having chapter breaks makes it difficult to find a stopping place at times, and it is this more than anything else that makes a page turner of the novel. Meanwhile, the entire thing seems to be building to the inevitable moment when Vermeer will paint Griet. The scenes are handled with less intensity than I had hoped for from the build up, and once the painting is finished, Chevalier seems to want nothing but for the novel to be over too, and closes it down rather too quickly.

Perhaps the fact that little is known about Vermeer's life would imply that a fictional version of it would be easy to tell. Sadly, the gaps in knowledge seem to be too big to fill.

At the end of the novel, I had discovered how this work came about, the girl staring out from it, but still had almost no real idea of the man behind it. It is, in my opinion, a failure in this respect.

However, it is a good read if you're looking for something historical but not too heavy. Or if you like art there are some interesting discussions about colour in there. I can see why many people enjoy this novel, but I cannot fathom why some hold it in such high acclaim. I feel it will be some time before I read anything else by Tracy Chevalier.(less)

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Jul 22, 2007 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another one of my wife's recommendations (I read a lot of books that way), I picked it up from the bookshelf the night we came back from seeing the film with Scarlett Johansonn and Colin Firth. I loved the movie--it was just so incredibly sumptuous--and was curious to know the story in the novel, which I knew from experience, and from my wife's continuous comments, would be different, more detailed. I was right.

Chevalier has won a place in my heart and bookshelf. Her novels are well-crafted, sim...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars

Love this story, love Vermeer's work. Over 2 years a quiet and obedient maid named Griet goes to live as a servant for Johannes Vermeer and his family. It is hard for Griet not to like this good and obedient protagonist, for she struggles with universal yearnings such as love and an escape from poverty. Her life is a fairly solitary one as she finds herself growing apart from her family while living as an outsider in another's home. The Vermeer family, with the exception of the painter himself,...more Love this story, love Vermeer's work. Over 2 years a quiet and obedient maid named Griet goes to live as a servant for Johannes Vermeer and his family. It is hard for Griet not to like this good and obedient protagonist, for she struggles with universal yearnings such as love and an escape from poverty. Her life is a fairly solitary one as she finds herself growing apart from her family while living as an outsider in another's home. The Vermeer family, with the exception of the painter himself, is not fond of the strange Protestant girl; and as Maria Thins, the grandmother, says, "Never so much trouble with a maid before." The real trouble comes, however, when the artist takes a liking to the young girl and allows her to assist him in his work. Griet is granted the privilege that no other family member has -- helping Vermeer in his studio. Not even his wife Catharina is allowed to enter the studio, so this arrangement causes a great deal of tension within the household. Griet begins her work by cleaning still life objects that Vermeer will paint later that day. She also is given the responsibility of grinding the paints and even purchasing the colors from the apothecary. As if these "privileges" were not causing enough disquietude within the family, matters only get worse when Vermeer agrees, at a friend's request, to paint Griet. The moments in which Vermeer paints Griet are the most spellbinding of the book. We feel Griet's nervous emotions as she sits as still as possible under the close eye of the awe-inspiring man she has grown to love. Her inner struggle is augmented by jealous Pieter, the butcher's son, who has made no secret of his intention to marry Griet. The young maid, however, seems devoted only to her master and obeys his every wish. When he tells her to wear his wife's pearl earrings for the painting, Griet agrees even though she knows it could lead to her downfall. (Also really liked the 2003 film starring Colin Firth and Scarlet Johansson.)

Vermeer (1632-1675) left no more than 36 paintings - and the attribution of a couple of those is in doubt - and no drawings. Vermeer was not a totally unsuccessful artist. He became a head of the Guild of St Luke in Delft and his paintings fetched high prices, but he died in debt, and his Catholic wife Catharina Bolnes had to declare herself bankrupt. (less)

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Jun 19, 2007 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: art history geeks

Shelves: fiction, 20th-century-postwar-to-late, theonewithacrushontheprofessor

I wrote a paper on artistic expression using Girl with a Pearl Earring as a source, since it is a painting, a movie, and a book. It provided me fascinating fodder, a really good read, and a good grad on my paper. This is a wonderful study in repression and tiny details. There are some beautiful passages. I absolutely love the study done of the character of Vermeer. At one point, a character tells Griet (the imagined Girl with a Pearl Earring) to be careful, since Vermeer does not see her, but ra...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Lavinia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, in-en

I don't know if it has to do with my vacation days or the fact that I really, but really enjoyed reading this novel, but is was almost impossible to put it down, even though I'm not a big fan of historical fiction and I've watched the film 2 times already. Speaking of it, I'm sure there were many details left out, it's hard now to tell which, but it was definitely an advantage to put a face on the characters.

My interest in art over the years was quite inconsistent and I started by liking the mod...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Marian rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. The story is subtle making it the perfect example that less is more in a story.

Some of my thoughts as I read:
1. The society of the time classified everyone as a "have" or a "have not". For a girl who was in between it was a matter of time before she was forced to one side or the other. She never fit in either world.
2. Clearly this girl had a raw, undeveloped talent for art. Had she lived in a different century would she have been the artist instead of the muse? Her role w...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had to persevere in order to make it through Tracy Chevalier's Girl With a Pearl Earring. In spite of all the reviews on the back cover lauding this as a literary gem, a literary jewel, and a dazzling novel, I was pretty sure it was "just" a romance novel.

My romance credentials are these: although I have never read a romance novel, I have seen the covers of romance novels. And I've also listened to people I know discuss romance novels. So with that it mind...

It struck me as cheesy in a Fabio r...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Crystal Starr Light rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, so-boring-it-s-boring, anachronistic-heroine, audiobook, idiot-protagonist

Gorgeous painting, deeper appreciation of art; mediocre, annoying book

This is a book that fictionalizes what might have been behind the famous Vermeer painting, "Girl with a Pearl Earring". Griet's family is destitute, and now she must work as a maid in the Vermeer household, cleaning up the famous painter's workstation. Slowly, she grows more interested in her master, and her master in her.

I am not what you would call an artsy person. I make an effort to decorate my home nicely, I can pick out...more Gorgeous painting, deeper appreciation of art; mediocre, annoying book

This is a book that fictionalizes what might have been behind the famous Vermeer painting, "Girl with a Pearl Earring". Griet's family is destitute, and now she must work as a maid in the Vermeer household, cleaning up the famous painter's workstation. Slowly, she grows more interested in her master, and her master in her.

I am not what you would call an artsy person. I make an effort to decorate my home nicely, I can pick out nice yarns for knitting and crocheting (according to a pattern), and I am fairly decent at picking clothes that don't clash, but that is as far as my "artistic abilities" go. You wouldn't find me in an art museum for fun, unless my sister, the artsy one in the family, drug me there. So when I say that this book made me look up Vermeer, analyze his work, and actually grow more appreciative of it, I think it's a somewhat big deal.

And, though I really hate to say this, that is the biggest reason I am giving this book two stars. Because a book that makes me look up a historical figure, investigate his work, and actually start to like it deserves to have SOME kudos. If you take that aspect of the book away, you are left with a medicore book, populated with annoying/cliched characters with virtually no plot to speak of.

Griet is our protagonist, and there were several times I was hoping she would drown in her washing or set herself on fire or accidentally fall between the butcher and his blade. I understand she's young, but I didn't realize she was A) a 10 year old child (she acts way younger, more sheltered, and more immature than her 17 years would indicate), B) a spoiled, wealthy child suddenly thrown into poverty (though her father lost his trade, I never got the impression they were wealthy before this book), or C) hideously emo (she tends to wangst about not seeing her parents, about the "secrets" she has to hide, and she faints after piercing her ear). Her first day working for the Vermeers, she whines that the first time she smiled all day is when she saw a familiar butcher's face. Booohooo. She is stupid, keeping an expensive comb anywhere within a 12 mile radius of a bratty child who wants to wreak havoc on Griet's life. She is dense as a brick, selfish, ungrateful, and unemotional (she is never shown loving or caring at all for Pieter, which makes the ending seem weird). And yet somehow, this girl garners the attention of THREE men and the hatred of SEVERAL women. She's better at cleaning, cooking, caring for Vermeer's studio, making paint, buying meat, AND arranging items in Vermeer's paintings (yes, it is SHE that comes up with the earring idea for the titular painting and rearranges the cloth for another painting). Griet, come on down, you've won the Mary Sue of the Month award!

The other characters are two dimensional at best. Catharina is a b!tch, mean to Griet just because. I am really sick and tired of this cliche: of having the female of the house hate the "poor girl" just because, well, that's what the female of the house is supposed to do, I guess. I ended up feeling SORRY for Catharina, because I felt she was desperately trying to win her husband's attention by having so many children. Cornelia is a demon; her actions venture way beyond "Terrible Child" into "Spawn of the Devil". One character dies just to include some more angst and a thin relation to the Plague. Vermeer is a complete enigma. I can understand retaining some mystery around him, but when you finish the book with as many questions as you began, something is wrong. I have no idea what he saw in Griet, how he felt towards her, and who he was. Van Ruijven is a stereotypical CAD; Tenneke is stupid (she can't tell when Griet is sucking up to her?? Yeah, right!). Pieter started out a nice guy, but when he feels up Griet against her will, I just felt cold. Their entire relationship is awkward: he seems really keen on her, very nice, yet she wants nothing to do with him. But then, after Vermeer sees her hair loose, she is okay with having sex with Pieter??? Huh???

The story is so bland and stereotypical, it's absurd. How many times have we seen the "X must take a job because X's father/provider can't work" or something along these lines? It wouldn't be bad if there was SOMETHING to make it different, but Griet never gives an indication of what she is missing out on nor does her story make this plot line interesting. Instead, all she does is whine about how rough her hands are, how much her back hurts, how much work she has to do, how bloody the butcher is, how all the women hate her, etc.

And what makes Griet so special that Vermeer pays her any mind? I got a glimpse when Griet arranges vegetables, and I actually liked a scene where Griet and Vermeer discussed colors in white, but other than that, there is nothing between them. Well, there IS Griet's feelings for Vermeer, but because I saw so little of Vermeer, I always got the impression she had a major crush on Vermeer and he was just smitten with her in an artistic sense.

As for all the secrets...come on, people, what gives? Why is it such a big deal that Griet helping Vermeer create paint? Why do they go to such efforts to keep it a secret? Why the big deal about the painting Vermeer does of Griet? Is it because of the possibility of an affair? If so, why did Catharina have no problem with Vermeer painting the butcher's daughter or van Ruijven's family? Vermeer is painting her to get paid; you would think Catharina would have enough sense to be okay with that, but apparently, no! (In fact, if she were a REALLY interesting character, she might see Griet's painting potential and FORCE her to sit so they could make more money!) If people actually TALKED to each other, instead of hiding stupid things like this, there wouldn't BE a story.

The ending actually isn't bad. I liked how she moved on and wasn't still harping (too much) on Vermeer. Though there were still a few things that bugged me (SPOILER FRIENDLY: her marriage, what she did with Vermeer's final gift to her).

I suppose if you are really curious about Vermeer and his background and don't mind a fluffy, almost Young Adult approach to it, this is your book. But if Mary Sues, flat characters, and an almost non-existent story hold you back, you may want to skip. I will give this book credit: it was a fast listen (I "read" on audiobook) and made me more interested in the artist.

UPDATE 9/12/11: I recently watched the movie starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth and was pleased at how well it was adapted to movie format. This isn't something I often say, but I definitely preferred the movie over the book.(less)

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Dec 16, 2011 Madeleine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: peer-pressure, mmxi, tooting-my-own-muted-horn

So the parts when Vermeer was actually being a painter were pretty interesting. Seeing as I slogged through this on account of a recommendation that arose from an art-class lecture on Vermeer, I was hoping that the art stuff would at least deliver.

But it's not a good sign when a book's most compelling moments revolve around two people grinding pigments. And, no: "Grinding pigments" is not a clever euphemism for artist-bangin'. It is, quite literally, referring to the detailed descriptions of ho...more So the parts when Vermeer was actually being a painter were pretty interesting. Seeing as I slogged through this on account of a recommendation that arose from an art-class lecture on Vermeer, I was hoping that the art stuff would at least deliver.

But it's not a good sign when a book's most compelling moments revolve around two people grinding pigments. And, no: "Grinding pigments" is not a clever euphemism for artist-bangin'. It is, quite literally, referring to the detailed descriptions of how paint was made in the days before those fancy metal tubes replaced pig bladders as the paint-storing vessels of choice.

This was the most predictable book I've read in a while, and that includes the two graphic-novel series that are simply retelling stories I know well in a new medium. I knew exactly where the plot was going within the book's first dozen pages. Every subsequent thread was introduced with the subtlety of a sledgehammer and the writerly finesse of a 14-year-old's first attempt at fanfiction.

It was also pretty obvious what stereotype everyone was going to play from his or her very first appearance. There really isn't a multi-dimensional character in this book. I understand that the first-person voice is a limited perspective by its nature, and I would write it off as just that if the peripheral characters were the only flat archetypes, but even the narrator doesn't carry any convincing weight. Griet is the protagonist because she's the main character. And because all of the characters with whom she has scuffles are inexplicably bitchy. Not giving characters any real motivations, not making them behave and interact believably, and generally preferring to tell rather than show all contributed to making this whole book feel sloppy, underdeveloped and rushed. If "Girl with a Pearl Earring" was maybe 200 more pages of really hammering out the story and its players, maybe then it'd be a more satisfying read. At least it's mercifully quick and mostly painless at its current length.

I say "mostly painless" because there are some groan-worthy lines showcased here: While more pages would have maybe benefited the plot, there is nothing -- save for a control-freak editor -- that could have improved the prose itself. I could not get past the clunky writing. It didn't take me long to get violently annoyed by the author's fondness for hitting the reader over the head with the most obvious attempts at subtle foreshadowing by way of forcing too much weight on these flimsy, laughably ominous one-sentence paragraphs. There were numerous other technical things that kept grating on me about the writing and its myriad shortcomings. Among them: Griet saying things like "I always regretted that decision" to indicate that she's looking back on a time that is very clearly written as the present; not one character shows any development throughout the novel; sixteen-year-old Griet, the daughter of a tile painter, somehow knows more about painting and composition than Vermeer, a professional artist who actually managed to garner some fame during his living years.

Even when the book pissed me off (which was often), I will admit that I never found Griet herself to be irritating (maybe because I kept fantasizing about Scarlett Johansson to save my brain from oozing through my ears?) -- but I was irked at how it felt like Chevalier was Mary Sue-ing her way through the character. The way that every man whom Griet encountered in the whole! damn! book! fawned over and flirted with her, the way she was presented as being uneducated but naturally clever just because she sometimes spoke her mind and separated her chopped veggies by color, the way Griet's family was painted as these simple, sheltered little Protestants who knew nothing of the world around them.... there was far too much black-or-white for me to take anything about the book seriously.

I don't care enough to write about this book any more. So. Every other gripe I have notwithstanding, here are three of the book's most glaring failures:

-- Vermeer, for being the central male character, remains an enigma. It's not that he's shrouded in an air of charming mystery but rather that his personality is nothing more than a bunch of suppositions that Griet "just knows" about him.

-- Griet does not ever refer to Vermeer as anything other than "he" or "him". Not. Once. It made her sound like a starstruck teenybopper and it undermined any sense of genuine affection between the painter and his maid.

-- The similes. Oh, dear sweet Baby Jesus, the similes. I now know that I have a limited tolerance for the number of trite comparisons of faces and voices to household objects that I encounter in one novel, all thanks to the time I spent reading this book.(less)

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Apr 10, 2008 Natasha! rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've been hearing good things about this book for years. WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, everyone I know?? I found the prose artificially concise (as if she had purposely limited her vocabulary by a factor of ten, or as if the narrator was Dutch but just learning English), the characters completely flat and unbelievable, and the rise in drama both ill-explained and uninteresting. I did not like or feel compassionate toward a single character, I didn't feel any catharsis about ANYTHING, and I understood na...more

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Jan 30, 2008 Robert Beveridge rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished, owned-and-gave-away

Tracy Chevalier, Girl with a Pearl Earring (Dutton, 1999)

To date, I've read only one bad review of this slight novel, and a whole lot of excellent ones. I'm casting my vote on the excellent side. Chevalier took one of Vermeer's best-known and most enigmatic paintings and built a story around it (there are a series of these novels; Joyce Carol Oates' I Lock My Door Upon Myself is the only other one I've read, and it is similarly excellent). Griet, a sixteen-year-old from the Protestant side of th...more

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Mar 28, 2013 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-century-literature, popular-fiction, 90s

It has been highly praised; and indeed Tracey Chevalier's Girl With a Pearl Earring is beautifully written, and full of the smell of 17th Century; but finally, in my view, it lacks a dramatic centre. Griet is taken on as a servant, in doing so she moves from the part of Delft where her family lives to the more prosperous neighborhood where the Vermeers live.

The novel centres around her, and her relations with the others in the painter's household. She has an uneasy time with the other servant,...more It has been highly praised; and indeed Tracey Chevalier's Girl With a Pearl Earring is beautifully written, and full of the smell of 17th Century; but finally, in my view, it lacks a dramatic centre. Griet is taken on as a servant, in doing so she moves from the part of Delft where her family lives to the more prosperous neighborhood where the Vermeers live.

The novel centres around her, and her relations with the others in the painter's household. She has an uneasy time with the other servant, the older Tanneke. This moves towards a not unfriendly acceptance before their joint mistress, Catherina Vermeer, becomes jealous of Griet. Thereafter, Tanneke's view and treatment of her rapidly deteriorates. Catherina is pregnant, and the green-eyed monster rears it's ugly head when Vermeer allows Griet into his studio. To begin with this is because she is able to clean his things and arrange them back exactly as they were before; later she begins to assist him. She becomes his model (the novel suggests) for 'Girl With a Pearl Earring'.

Ms Chevalier's wish to keep Johannes Vermeer "mysterious since very little is known about his personality historically" is understandable. Unfortunately, that means this reader was left with little comprehension about why he behaved as he did. Vermeer moves Griet to the attic, does this mean that he was so obsessive about his painting that he had no idea that to do so would create a problem with the others in his household? Other scenes featuring him would suggest not, he can talk about commissions with the Delft burgher who wants his wife painted; he is able to break off painting for his meals. If he is not blinded by his need to paint above everything else he must be remarkably obtuse. For this reason, and other things, I find the depiction of Vermeer nebulous and hard to find purchase on. To me, the most important dramatic relationship in the novel is left half done.

Catherina and Tanneke are fleshed out adequately, as are the children, their characters are serviceable. The butcher and his son, Pieter, are skillfully portrayed. If the main protagonists had been both done as Griet has been, it would added more life to Griet and made Vermeer a more concievable presence.

The one main character I found coming to life as I read Girl With a Pearl Earring was Catherina's mother, the ever watchful, highly perceptive, and not a little sinister Maria Thins. The delineation of this old woman is done with singular skill, it is she who, for me, imposes herself most vividly. Her motivations, focused on money, are the reason why it is Maria who finally sees Griet with some cordiality.Van Ruijven, a patron of Vermeer who, by the by, molests young female servants, visits the painter. His eye is caught by Griet, and he requests a portrait of her. Maria can see florin signs.

The big issue I have with Girl With a Pearl Earring is that Griet appears in the household and lives of the Vermeers, ruffles it up a bit, then disappears off to marry, presumably, Pieter. It never reaches a crisis point, and ultimately there is no real climax. No-one particularly seems to have changed, or learnt anything, by the end of the novel. I felt that the novel appeared only as a frame for Vermeer's painting.

Tracy Chevalier is, withal, a writer of some talent and it does show here. It is, as I said earlier, redolent of the milieu of seventeenth century Holland, and Delft is neatly brought to life almost as another character. It is very readable, and I make no complaints that it is a tedious novel, it has many points of interest. I have given some (the depiction of Holland, and Delft; the delineation of Maria Thins and the realistic picture of the butcher and his son), and I can certainly recommend it to others. However, I believe that Remarkable Creatures (about the discovery of the fossilised remains of dinosaurs in Lyme Regis) is a far finer novel, and a better exposition of Ms Chevalier's obvious gifts as a storyteller.

(less)

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Jan 11, 2008 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book features one of my favorite book heroines of all time. Griet is competent, intelligent and observant. She possesses the laudable ability to maneuver 17th century Delft in a shrewd and practical manner while still retaining her love of art; finding beauty in even mundane things.

Griet has a first-rate mind, concealed in the body of - essentially - a peasant. This poor maid is the only person who truly understands Vermeer's work. The relationship she develops with the painter is satisfyin...more

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Jul 09, 2007 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My expectation was low for this book: I just assumed that historical fiction=boring. I was absolutely wrong and I am so glad that I gave this book a chance.

This book was set in 17th century Delft and detailed the journey of Griet, a young woman who becomes a maid and, eventually, muse for the artist (who did exist) Vermeer.

The reason why I really liked this book is the extraordinary way Chevalier describes the ordinary: A trip to the butcher or a walk across the city is so beautifully detailed...more

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Jan 14, 2009 The_Freddy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007-reading-list, fiction, light-reading

Wow, that one I read fast.

And I enjoyed it, too. I was being a bit sceptical before, actually I only read it, so I could watch the movie afterwards, but I was surprised in a good way.

I was captured by the narrative pretty soon and it read very lightly, very easily. I was longing for such a book for some time. Reading it was as easy as watching TV, but still it was good literature and not a cheap action tome.
The first-person narrator was done very well, I thought, Griet is a composed and exact o...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

I'm not very good at writing reviews, but here goes...

On the surface, this book appears to be a doomed love story and a nifty piece of historical fiction based upon a famous painting, and it is both of those things, but under the surface it is a social commentary - principally about gender roles.

At the beginning of the book, Griet's life is simple - she has a clearly-defined 'place' in life and knows what is expected of her - she accepts this; however, as she comes into contact with more men (t...more I'm not very good at writing reviews, but here goes...

On the surface, this book appears to be a doomed love story and a nifty piece of historical fiction based upon a famous painting, and it is both of those things, but under the surface it is a social commentary - principally about gender roles.

At the beginning of the book, Griet's life is simple - she has a clearly-defined 'place' in life and knows what is expected of her - she accepts this; however, as she comes into contact with more men (the only prior men in her life had been her invalided father and younger brother), her life becomes more complicated and she begins to realise that she is at the mercy of others. The society in which she lives has a very rigid social structure and she is at the bottom of it!

The women in the book are all strong (or at least, have some strengths within themselves) but their behaviour is severely restricted by convention and status; whereas the men are all weak and are allowed to do pretty-much what they want (within the constraints of their class and status). The society is built around the men and all of the women defer to them even if/when the men are clearly in the wrong.

The upper classes strive to keep the lower classes 'in their place' and any intelligent lower class people are seen as a threat to the accepted 'order'. The upper class people are self-interested and do not care about the difficulties faced by the poorer people.

Because Griet's life up to the age of sixteen has been so prescribed, when she meets Vermeer and he seems to show an interest in her, she idealises him. I get the feeling that, because he produces such beautiful art, she believes that some kind of beauty resides within him and it is only towards the end of the story that she realises that in fact, he is just self-interested and does not have any consideration for her best interests.

The only man who comes out of the story with any real credit is Pieter (the younger) because he is honest and shows some concern for the feelings of other people (in particular, Griet's parents).

I don't want to over-politicise the book though, because aside from those things, it was a great story, written in a simple and direct style and with a satisfying ending.(less)

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Anne Nikoline I'm very much looking forward to hear you opinion about this.
Oct 08, 2012 06:38am

Tim Anne Nikoline wrote: "I'm very much looking forward to hear you opinion about this."

I've been meaning to read this for a long time now, so I'm glad to...more
Oct 08, 2012 07:58am

Tim Anne Nikoline wrote: "I'm very much looking forward to hear you opinion about this."

OK - I finished this book today (I know - I'm a slow reader, but t...more Anne Nikoline wrote: "I'm very much looking forward to hear you opinion about this."

OK - I finished this book today (I know - I'm a slow reader, but the only times that I am able to read at the moment are bed-times, so it has taken me a week to read it!) You may live to regret asking me for my opinion, but...you did! So here goes...

On the surface, this book appears to be a doomed love story and a nifty piece of historical fiction based upon a famous painting, and it is both of those things, but under the surface it is a social commentary - principally about gender roles.

At the beginning of the book, Griet's life is simple - she has a clearly-defined 'place' in life and knows what is expected of her - she accepts this; however, as she comes into contact with more men (the only prior men in her life had been her invalided father and younger brother), her life becomes more complicated and she begins to realise that she is at the mercy of others. The society in which she lives has a very rigid social structure and she is at the bottom of it!

The women in the book are all strong (or at least, have some strengths within themselves) but their behaviour is severely restricted by convention and status; whereas the men are all weak and are allowed to do pretty-much what they want (within the constraints of their class and status). The society is built around the men and all of the women defer to them even if/when the men are clearly in the wrong.

The upper classes strive to keep the lower classes 'in their place' and any intelligent lower class people are seen as a threat to the accepted 'order'. The upper class people are self-interested and do not care about the difficulties faced by the poorer people.

Because Griet's life up to the age of sixteen has been so prescribed, when she meets Vermeer and he seems to show an interest in her, she idealises him. I get the feeling that, because he produces such beautiful art, she believes that some kind of beauty resides within him and it is only when he makes her wear both of the pearl earrings (while he is painting her portrait) that she realises that in fact, he is just self-interested and does not have any consideration for her best interests.

The only man who comes out of the story with any real credit is Pieter (the younger) because he is honest and shows some concern for the feelings of other people (in particular, Griet's parents).

I don't want to over-politicise the book though, because aside from those things, it was a great story, written in a simple and direct style and with a satisfying ending (I particularly liked it when Griet slapped Cornelia for a second time - at the end of the book - although, if I had been Griet, I would have pushed her into the canal!)

I hope my review/comments haven't bored you to death! I'd like to know what you thought of the book - if you have the time to reply...

Kind regards
Tim(less)
Oct 13, 2012 02:41pm

Mar 16, 2013 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first Chevalier I read. I'm not a fan of historical fiction, but something (don't know what, but wish I did) about the way she writes is magic for me and now I've read all by her. Maybe you can recommend something similar, out of the vast realms of historical fiction?

ETA: reviewed a couple of years ago, edited for elliptical communication March 2013.

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Jul 14, 2009 Jon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, film, orange-50-essential, favourites

A real gem of a book, short and easy but so rich and colourful. While not a great deal happens throughout the book there is a constant feeling of tension building and the language is beautiful. The Reader is transported perfectly to 17th Century Delft. The background to the paintings sends you running off to google for a closer look even if youre not an art fiend.

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Mar 20, 2009 Lorraine rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. To sum this book up, I would say it was a nice story that ambles along nicely. Its set in a time when things seemed so simple, even though life was clearly hard.

Griet was a natural artist who would never realise her talent, or maybe even recognise that she may have one… sorting the vegetables into colours as she chopped, and not allowing the colours that clash or ‘fight’ to sit next to each other . She was brought up with a simple family life and had no aspirations beyond that, except for a des...more To sum this book up, I would say it was a nice story that ambles along nicely. Its set in a time when things seemed so simple, even though life was clearly hard.

Griet was a natural artist who would never realise her talent, or maybe even recognise that she may have one… sorting the vegetables into colours as she chopped, and not allowing the colours that clash or ‘fight’ to sit next to each other . She was brought up with a simple family life and had no aspirations beyond that, except for a desire to run off in whatever direction the arrows in the circle at the centre of the market pointed her in.

To suddenly become the bread-winner of the family, along with her brother must have seemed such a responsibility. It was very sad that the family lived nearby one another, but hardly saw each other because of their work commitments. When the plague forced a physical barrier, it re-enforced the perception of ‘so near but yet so far.’ At that point, she sought out her brother Frans, who was rebelling against the pressure of having to follow in his fathers footsteps at the tile factory… and no wonder, it sounded an awful place for a young lad to be.

Griet’s new life as a maid is one that I just can’t imagine ever being able to accept myself. To have to ‘know my place’ would be the main thing I would struggle with. Not being able to defend myself, even when it is a child (Cornelia) who is stirring the trouble… or a much older man who is intent on rape?! Its unthinkable!!

I don’t believe that Johannes Vermeer and his wife Catharina had a happy marriage. They lived separate lives under the same roof… although they clearly ‘bumped’ into each other every now and then considering how often she fell pregnant!! He had his studio, which she was not allowed to enter (why?) and she had to run the house. Were the endless pregnancies to show the outside world what a happy family they were? “No problems here… we’re thriving” kinda way? I don’t know, Catharina is a proud woman.

Maria Thins is a likeable character, despite her being so shrewd. She used Griet as bait for Van Ruijven’s commission without thinking twice about it. At the end of the day, maids were dispensable second-class citizens.

Tanneke is very loyal to the family… but to spend all your days slogging your guts out for the same family, in the same house for little thanks or reward is a waste of a life and I’m glad that I don’t live in times when that would be expected of me.

Pieter is so sweet. A typical lad really… I was shocked and stunned at Griet to allow him a snog and a grope (and eventually more..) down an alley!!! Good grief, SURELY there were picnic areas or SOME place more romantic in Delft??!! Anyway, its sweet that he noticed her at the meat market and pursued her. No bloke these days would bother his arse going to the effort of attending church and Sunday dinners with the parents these days.

I can understand her crush on Vermeer (or as we more intimately know him… ‘he’ or ‘him’ or ‘his’) because he’s the figure of authority within the household.. he has power, he is talented, he is well-known and respected by the whole town… and she is the young girl that gets to work beside him in the attic while his wife is not even permitted in the studio. I can also understand that he might have had a fantasy about her being the young, unattached, innocent girl who would seemingly do anything for him. Leaving her the pearl earrings in the will was a lovely gesture, but one that he surely knew would cause trouble so why, along with asking for her portrait back from Van Ruijven, did he do it? Did he really have deeper feelings for her? It just didn’t seem to me that it was anything more than a fantasy with a bit of jealousy thrown in whenever Pieter appeared at the door.

However, what really got me confused was that after his lovely gesture from beyond the grave she took the pearls to the pawn shop!!!!!! Eh???? She decided to keep 5 bucks from the loot and hide THAT in a secret place Pieter wouldn’t find.. I just don’t see the logic!!

Overall, a good story though, and nicely written.

(less)

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Mar 31, 2009 Suzette rated it 4 of 5 stars

I quite enjoyed this book. I'm an art lover and that's what drew me in. I was impressed with the creative idea of writing a story based on a work of art, and I think the author wrote an interesting and believable story.

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Dec 12, 2008 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2004, historical-fiction, i_saw_the_movie

This is the story of Griet - a maid in 1600's Delft Holland and the imagined subject of Vermeer's famous painting. I really enjoyed this book. I love thinking that Chevalier was looking at this painting and thought - What is this story? Who is this girl? The stunted writer in me thinks this would be a really fun writing exercise.

I really have to give Chevalier credit. This book was easy to read and very engaging. I am a fan.

On a side note - the movie made from this (with Scarlett Johansonn and...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Antof9 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007-read

First, I have to say that this reminded me quite a bit of Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I have no idea which was written first (probably this one, I suppose), but it was very like that. That said ...

I liked the Dutchness of this book, because my father is Dutch, and I pretty much like all things Dutch (not to be confused with this website, which I also like). In addition, I have an aunt named Griet, so I immediately liked the main character :) However, in general, I don't really prefer book...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Ana T. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookrings, read-in-2009, art-hist-challenge

Girl With a Pearl Earring is one of those books that have been so talked about in a positive way that when the opportunity arised to read it I couldn't help myself.

I do feel that Chevalier is very good at conveying the right atmosphere for her novels. This is the second one I read and in both of them there's an artistic atmosphere, if you can call it that, and a great concern with describing not only the works of art involved but also the materials and techniques the characters use.

In this story...more Girl With a Pearl Earring is one of those books that have been so talked about in a positive way that when the opportunity arised to read it I couldn't help myself.

I do feel that Chevalier is very good at conveying the right atmosphere for her novels. This is the second one I read and in both of them there's an artistic atmosphere, if you can call it that, and a great concern with describing not only the works of art involved but also the materials and techniques the characters use.

In this story about one of Johannes Vermeer’s most famous paintings, Griet a sixteen year girl is led by the impoverishment of her family to seek employment with Vermeer's family. Griet is an uncommonly sensitive girl who orders vegetables according to size and colour. That attracts Vermeer’s attention and soon she becomes not only the house maid but is assistant in manufacturing the colours he uses. In a society with rigid rules separating religious beliefs and society divisions between people, this transformation of Griet's duties is well hidden from Vermeer's wife, requested by the painter and abetted by his mother in law. Vermeer's demands on Griet won’t stop there as he decides to make her a model for one of his paintings thus making her position in the house even more secretive and fragile.

The atmosphere is indeed everything in this novel where no one comes across as very sympathetic, Vermeer lost in his genius, Griet confused and unsettled by her feelings and the other members of the household more devoted to their own interests. As the action draws to a close it seems obvious that Griet's time with Vermeer would be finished as soon as is painting was. His interest in her as a subject ends when he reaches perfection even if that causes her to lose her job and almost her respectability.

I must confess that although I can see what makes so many love this book that sentiment eluded me somehow. I can see its merits, I'm glad I read it but that's it. Maybe I'm just not a very visual sort of person because I did love the movie where I could actually see the colours and understand them.

Grade: 4/5
(less)

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Jun 07, 2008 Ebookwormy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-caution, fiction

This book was within a stack I picked up from my mom's house; she told me this was a book my brother was required to read in high school. I knew it was a popular book, so I thought i'd give it a try - if only to be conversational.

The style of this book is very subtle and effective. With attention to detail, the reader is methodically introduced to the culture of 17th century Holland. While we learn a little about the city, I think the main achievement is in helping us to understand how people th...more This book was within a stack I picked up from my mom's house; she told me this was a book my brother was required to read in high school. I knew it was a popular book, so I thought i'd give it a try - if only to be conversational.

The style of this book is very subtle and effective. With attention to detail, the reader is methodically introduced to the culture of 17th century Holland. While we learn a little about the city, I think the main achievement is in helping us to understand how people thought and reacted within a culture very different from current America. I could see how this aspect of the book would make it excellent for discussion with high school students. Questions like: What did you notice was different about how the people interacted? What they cared about/ noticed? Male - Female relationships? Attitudes toward children? Expectations of children? How was a 'successful life' defined in this context? etc.

Other topics that occurred to me for high school students would be: Is it acceptable to marry for any reason other than love? Is it reasonable for parents to expect their children to support them? Is there a sense in which the strong prey on the weak - who are the strong, who are the weak in this portayal of Delft? How are Griet's/ Vermeer's/ Pieter the father/ son's talent, personality (temperament, likes/ dislikes, friends) and character (consideration for others, integrity, faithfulness, etc.) illustrated? At what point did Griet have the ability to stop the events culminating in the story? Why didn't she?

There is also a subtle aspect of sensuality that runs through this work, and it is this I am not sure is appropriate for high school students. Most of it was understated and tactfully done, with the exception of one scene... a significant (very understated) scene preceeds this encounter. Good questions for adults would be: Have you ever taken action with a person based on something entirely unrelated to them?

I wanted to like this book. I wanted to like Griet, but in the end, while she is admirable, she was, to me a fatally flawed woman. She does make the best of difficult and challenging situations. Her respect/ honor/ provision for her parents is admirable. Her honesty is refreshing when people are culturally expected to be dishonest. However, in the end, I found her to be a person who took risks for things that weren't worth it and wasn't wise enough to regret it. A person who was still suppressing parts of herself and her experience, still unable to truly be in full relationship with others, still hiding, still merely existing, instead of living triumphantly. She leaves little to aspire to beyond a general goodness that outweighs the bad. I wanted her to overcome. To be able to live openly and honestly, not in a culturally inappropriate way, but simply... to be free. In the end, it was a good reminder for me that freedom comes only through relationship with Jesus.

One last note: If you can get this deluxe edition, do. If not, I looked up the paintings referenced on-line afterward and that was a great way to think about the story and interact with the excellent artwork which inspired this fictional story.(less)

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Apr 20, 2008 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

A historical Fiction, that gave me insights to how this painter painted in an entertaining way. Apparently it is also a movie which I have not seen. I really liked how the book was able to take you in his studio and show his tools he used. I also like how the author described how the people were painted, and how he used his colors and how the colors were made. Ect. The story made you want to make up your own stories about people in paintings and to wonder about the time period.

Here is a descript...more

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Mar 26, 2008 Karschtl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: movie, historic, woman-ish, read-in-2005

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read the book in only two days, since it is relatively short. It is also well written, easy to understand.
Just like Vermeer paid attention to detail in his paintings, so did Chevalier in her description of 17th century life in Delft.

Only thing I did not quite understand: why was Vermeer such a wimp?? Is afraid to tell his wife that he needs Griet to assist him, does not defend her when they question her about the earrings. Ok, he had to some extend obey to the wishes of Maria Thins, since he l...more I read the book in only two days, since it is relatively short. It is also well written, easy to understand.
Just like Vermeer paid attention to detail in his paintings, so did Chevalier in her description of 17th century life in Delft.

Only thing I did not quite understand: why was Vermeer such a wimp?? Is afraid to tell his wife that he needs Griet to assist him, does not defend her when they question her about the earrings. Ok, he had to some extend obey to the wishes of Maria Thins, since he lived in HER house and as far as I found out on the Internet about the real Vermeer they also depended financially on her. But for God's sake, he is a grown-up man, head of his fast growing family, and it seems unrealistic to me that a 17th century man would behave like Vermeer did, having to keep secrets from his wife. A normal man wouldn't have bothered if his wife agreed to his doings or not, he would have just done as he wished.

For me Vermeer was rather a negative character, and apart from his (admittetly) beautiful paintings it wasn't quite clear to me why Griet liked him so much. That was never really explained. Or did she admire him only because he could paint so well? Like somebody else already said I'm also of the opinion that he was very egoistic, asking Griet to work for him but do not once think about how she will manage to do that in secret and where she should take the time for his tasks.

----Spoiler ahead, don't read if you haven't read the book yet----

I also didn't understand why Griet didn't speak up at the end, in the studio. She knew she would leave the house, no matter what she says!! Why didn't she answer the question of Maria Thins with "You gave them to me this morning, and I gave them back to you in the afternoon." Why is she such a coward now? Maybe I'm just thinking what I would have said in this situation.

I don't think that Griet's life afterwards was a wonderful one, but I do believe she was contented with what she had: a husband, children, an income. Seems to me better than continue a maid's life in Vermeer's house, with all the mischief there. And I'm sooo glad that Griet finally did slap Cornelia again. Hope it was a hard one.

Afterwards I spent some time looking for Vermeer's paintings on the internet, looking especially for those Griet described (since I already know the one of her).(less)

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May 04, 2008 Marisa rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who enjoys historical fiction

Girl with a Pearl Earring surrounds a fictional character with historical facts.

While little is known of the woman in Vermeer's painting, this book attempts to discover more about her and the story of Vermeer's inspiration.

This story reminds me a lot of "Memoirs of a Geisha", another of my favorite books. The only differece being the location: Holland in 1660.

Griet comes to work as a maid for Johannes and Catharina Vermeer, the latter being a tyrannical headmistress who, along with her daughter...more

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Feb 06, 2008 Hong rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. a classic story of romance. has the simple calmness of country-rusticness, at the same time beholds an exciting and captivating love story.
different from the normal lovey-duvey sticky tangled up romantic mess. and the powerful scenes of what griet passes by each day that seem to burst into meaning at the right time, and how the whole plot progresses so finely you almost couldnt notice.
well-crafted love story, and also tells the tale of how often people love what they see, not what is. and how th...more

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Oct 03, 2007 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

The book is quite well written with beautiful descriptions, and an obvious amount of research done on the time period and the painter, as well as painting techniques of the 1600s. However, the characters, with the exception of the main character, Griet, are very one-sided. I wondered why Griet seemed to know so much more about life than anyone else in the book. It was not a fault of the narration, but I think a real oversight in the writing. For example, the patron of the painter, Pieter, and ev...more

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Mar 26, 2009 Coco rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought this was a beautiful story and I loved the fact that Chevalier created a whole world by gazing at this painting. Griet and her story came to life for me and the exquisite scene where she pierces her ear for Vermeer brought tears to my eyes. I enjoy historical fiction and learning about the 17h century and how Vermeer earned his living and the way the household was run was fascinating. Chevalier's description of making the colors for the paint for so tactile. Sumptuous.

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