Girl with a Pearl Earring discussion

I have seen this movie last year, and I fell in love with this beautiful story.

I agree with you. I read the book first when I heard there was a movie on it. I love them both. It's a fantastic story!

I had no idea there was a movie on it! I need to go hunt that down now...

Amanda wrote: "I had no idea there was a movie on it! I need to go hunt that down now..."

I found this movie on Netflix. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known it existed.

I really enjoyed this book. By far Chevalier's best. And the movie was a surprisingly good adaptation.

I read this book - and I don't know how old everyone else here is but I'm 14 so I found some of the themes in it kinda too adult. To make matters worse, my younger, 12 year old sister read it before I did, so I was kinda mortified that she read about some of the things in it.
I liked the style of writing, but I found the plot sort of boring.

Amazing how the author was able to create a plausible plot out of the few historical facts we know of VerMeer. No, it's not appropriate for all readers.

GSGS {Jizzy} wrote: "I read this book - and I don't know how old everyone else here is but I'm 14 so I found some of the themes in it kinda too adult. To make matters worse, my younger, 12 year old sister read it befor..."

While I was growing up, I always read books that were said to be for readers older than I was. So I, too, might have read this book when I was 14. And I would have felt that it was boring. But guess what: I read this when I was 45 or 46, and I felt it was boring. I have no idea why so many people felt otherwise.

It certainly isn't a thriller. It's more quiet - an exploration of these lives and times. It helps if the reader feels an empathy for the characters.

I got the audio tape, and it was okay. The movie was better. As Ron posted earlier, I think they took poetic license in trying to figure out how VerMeer was as a man.

I agree with Cheryl when she says that it is not a thriller. It is a quiet book, and it is a book about the mystery of art and inspiration. It is a widely spread belief that the muse is tempestuous and impulsive, but sometimes the muse can me quiet and pedantic, hard-working and deceptively humble (She is a servant, after all).
But I think this is one of the numerous pleasures of the book. It reminds me of an elegant and stylish brand of a perfume - nothing loud or garish, or tacky; it is a perfume of subdued unassuming quality with numerous aromas and smells you can perceive if you tune-in and read/smell attentively.

I have to say that this is one of my favorite books that I have ever read. While some might find it boring, I find the quite, simpleness of the novel to be beautiful, especially being an artist myself. It is not an action novel, and isn't meant to be. Movie is great too.

All of Tracy Chevalier's books, most of her earlier ones, has some kind of artistic theme. She has one about the lion and the unicorn. She even did one on William Blake. She is a good writer.

It's a nice book to read in the park or at the beach, when you're feeling lazy :) But not really a stay-up-late-because-you-want-to-see-how-it-ends book.

GSGS {Jizzy} wrote: "It's a nice book to read in the park or at the beach, when you're feeling lazy :) But not really a stay-up-late-because-you-want-to-see-how-it-ends book."

I disagree because I just finished this book and had to stay up (It's 10:40pm) to finish it. I read it in a day because I just loved following the protagonist's life. I became so involved in her well-being and plight and was so curious about her relationship with Vermeer that I had to finish it. Yes, it was an easy read, but saving it for a lazy day to read was not how I approached it.

It is easy to read because it is so elegantly written, but it is not emotionally easy. And the concept of art and importance of small details, light and symbolism - all the above mentioned topics are not easy to grasp. But I occasionally think that the more you know about a certain subject the more you question it, respond to it, and relate to it. As a result it does not make an easy read even for an elegant-in-their-simplicity story

I love the explanation of the artwork, but it's not a very entertaining book. It's very real though because their is bad actions and not everything happens perfectly like other books. It's one of my first books like this to read so I was sort of wary and the book paid out, so great!

I have seen this movie yestrday, and I fell that this movie is so sensetive with a beautiful story i agree

i just finished this one in december and what a beautiful books. Its one of those I know I'll read again in future.

Robin wrote: "All of Tracy Chevalier's books, most of her earlier ones, has some kind of artistic theme. She has one about the lion and the unicorn. She even did one on William Blake. She is a good writer."

This is good to know. Lovely infor thanks

Helena wrote: "I have to say that this is one of my favorite books that I have ever read. While some might find it boring, I find the quite, simpleness of the novel to be beautiful, especially being an artist mys..."

Robin I am tempted to say the same but then I still have American God's as a favourite too. So I'd say its one of the top 5 I have ever read.

I love what-if history books, or just books that try to explain a historical mystery. If I can mention a few favorites, Slammerkin was Emma Donoghue's imagining of what Mary Saunder's life was like before she was executed. This was a girl in historical court records that we know little about. In Finding Emilie, author Laurel Corona took a girl who died at the of two and re-imagined her life if she had lived.

Leisie93 wrote: "I love what-if history books, or just books that try to explain a historical mystery. If I can mention a few favorites, Slammerkin was Emma Donoghue's imagining of what Mary Saunder's life was lik..."

thank you for this information Leisie :) <3

I found this book boring and facinating at the same time. The story is very slow paced and bogged down with the humdrum details of the main characters life but the humdrumness really puts you in the times, and the facination comes from the simpleness of her life and the scandal caused by her attraction to her employer. I found it to be quite a refreshing change and found myself caught up and could not put it down.

i thought the first half was a bit boring (dare i say pointless) but the second half made it worth it

I don't understand why anyone would call this a beautiful story given how Griet was manipulated and poorly treated... But I did enjoy the story, despite it's minimal plot and it being 248 pages of chaste yearning.