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A review by knowmadic_369
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Even though I'd say this is a good book, I did not like it.
Things I did not like:
- How Griet was a victim start to finish. Everything happened TO her, and she had little to no control over any of it. She was constantly at the mercy of other people's cruelty and selfishness.
- I felt that the disturbing relationship between her and Vermeer was romanticized, when in reality she was just used by him the same as by the others. He was cruel to her in his own way, yet the story wants you to believe that he was 'on her side' and friendly towards her.
Things I did like:
- The stories behind Vermeer's different paintings, not just the Girl With A Pearl Earring.
- The few descriptions of the technicalities of Vermeer's painting in the 1600s.
- How the book captivates the reader and draws them in to the drama and emotional turmoil of the plot.
Things I did not like:
- How Griet was a victim start to finish. Everything happened TO her, and she had little to no control over any of it. She was constantly at the mercy of other people's cruelty and selfishness.
- I felt that the disturbing relationship between her and Vermeer was romanticized, when in reality she was just used by him the same as by the others. He was cruel to her in his own way, yet the story wants you to believe that he was 'on her side' and friendly towards her.
Things I did like:
- The stories behind Vermeer's different paintings, not just the Girl With A Pearl Earring.
- The few descriptions of the technicalities of Vermeer's painting in the 1600s.
- How the book captivates the reader and draws them in to the drama and emotional turmoil of the plot.