This book was rich in its description of what could have been behind the famous painting by Johannes Vermeer. Chevalier gives life to the girl, Griet, and what goes through her mind as she becomes fascinated by the painter whom she works for. Vermeer is also portrayed in a subtle fashion, his vision of the world a deep and convincing one. I practically consumed my way through this novel the first time and am in the process of reading it again, hoping to catch the more hidden nuances of the story and Chevalier's writing. It is an excellent, excellent book.

posted Jun 30, 2006 at 1:11AM

I did NOT like this book. I wish I had never read it. I LOVE art, especially this painting, but this book did not need to be written. It went too far.

posted Jul 2, 2006 at 2:40PM

I enjoyed this book immensely. This is a true gem.

posted Apr 21, 2008 at 8:10AM

Who is the girl with the pearl earring in the Vermeer masterpiece? No one knows. This book tells a story of who she might have been and her circumstances. It’s all a figment of the author’s imagination but I loved the feel of this book. The gritty depiction of the time period and locale. That and the outcome of the story made it totally plausable.

posted Jan 28, 2010 at 11:12AM

Told through the eyes of the 16 year old narrator, this is a coming of age story of how a peasant girl is forced to be the maid of Vermeer and eventually poses for the artist. I loved the descriptions of 17th century Delft. The girls strong observations of how the author worked and life of the day are absorbing. She also details the components of mixing colors and composition of a painting. These images jumped off the page as I read it.

posted Nov 16, 2010 at 7:28PM

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