-by Tracy Chevalier
233 pages (2001)
A classic - not unlike Vermeer's artChevalier's Girl With A Pearl Earring revolves around main character, 14-year-old Griet, the daughter of a tile maker in 17th century Holland. When her father is blinded and no longer able to care for his family's needs, Griet must find work to support the family. She obtains employment as a servant in the Vermeer household, with the famous Dutch artist Johanne Vermeer as her employer.
The story is beautifully written, as seen through Griet's eyes - the complex family she is thrust into the midst of, the society of the small town of Delft, and life with an obsessive artistic genius. Griet loves being drawn into Vermeer's abstract life and ultimately becomes one of his models - as the "girl with a pearl earring."
A fascinating novel that I would highly recommend to history-related fiction buffs, or anyone who is just plain interested in a personal and touching tale.
REVIEWER'S NOTE: It is not a coincidence that I read this touching novel while abroad in Holland. I felt it would've added much to the story, being in the country of its setting. And so it did! I couldn't put the book down as much I tried. (Feb/March 2002)
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