Rating: 
Summary: This is a nice little novel
Review: There's a great deal to appreciate about this novel by Chevalier. Though the novel's scenario is obviously speculative (little is known about Vermeer's private life), I still feel quite comfortable calling it "historical fiction" because the author clearly took such pains to recreate everything as accurately as possible. I quite easily transportd myself to a 17th century Delft town, where I could see the people going about their daily chores. The imagery in this book is intense but not forced--and that is a clear demonstation of the writer's talent. Chevalier vividly conjures images of every detail, from the clothing styles to the prevailing sense of servitude that enveloped the novel's heroine. The way she managed to verbally describe Vermeer's attention to light, texture, and shadows amazes me.The characters in this novel, I feel, are beautifully developed. Griet emerges at the end with a clear sense of survival, when she could have succumbed to defeat and humiliation. The tension betweend Catholics and protestants is yet another detail that makes Chevalier's imagined world seem real. Vermeer eluded historians for centuries. Tracy Chevalier has given him a life that may be as close to the "truth" as anyone will ever be. I'll never look at a Vermeer painting the same way again.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Tale of Life
Review: Tracey Chevalier's novel is one that is genius and intriguing. Set in Denmark in the 1600's, the story of a young girl forced to be a maid to support her family unfolds. Not only does Chevalier capture the reader through the life of the main character Griet, she also introduces the reader to extremely important minor characters that help make the story. This is a novel that is well worth the read, I could not put it down.
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.
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