My family is quickly growing, so for Christmas each year, we now draw names and make an effort to have each family member have a few really good gifts instead of several cheap ones from everyone. This year, my mom had me and all I asked for were hardcover classic books. I didn’t care how old they were, or if they had notes and highlighting throughout – all I cared is that they were hardcover (because I destroy soft covers) and they were classics. Among the “wish list” I made was “Girl With a Pearl Earring.” I assumed, based on the movie (which I have yet to see) and the content, that it was a classic. Well, I got it for Christmas, and it turns out the book was published in 1999, but it’s set in seventeenth century Delft. I was very pleased when I finished this book. Nothing particularly shocking, twisted or romantic happens; it’s really a tale of classes and of duty.
The book is based on the painting of the same name by Johannes Vermeer, who is a primary character in the book. The circumstances regarding the actual painting are convoluted, but author Tracy Chevalier uses her imagination and deep understanding of the history surrounding the time to concoct a story that is easy to believe.
As an editor, the single most bothersome thing I found about this book is the inclusion of the letter “s” at the end of such words as “towards” and “backwards.” Because I don’t know much about the time period or writings during it, I cannot make an educated opinion about its necessity. However, because my eye is trained to remove such extraneous letters, I found myself getting tripped up over this minor preference often. Other less invasive issues obstructed my steady reading of the book as well. The names in the book are not common to Americans, nor I suppose, should they be. However, I do believe the author could have chosen names that Americans could at least make an attempt to pronounce correctly. Several had names of the 10 known names of his children, but “Maertge” was among a few that the author apparently made up. I don’t have the first clue about how to pronounce that. I often resorted to calling her “Mary” in my head.
Aside from my editorial rants, I very much enjoyed this book. It is different from the majority of books I read and it taught me several things I didn’t know about life before it was as it is now. Chevalier creates a main character who is so different from myself, and likely much different from most readers, but nonetheless I am compelled to project myself onto her as I read. I feel as though her thoughts are my own and her trials affect me. When she had a long day, I had a long day. When she was triumphant, I was, and when she was grief-stricken, so was I. I highly recommend this book to lovers and haters of classics. It’s modern enough to do without the confusing and flowery language as such authors as Emily Bronte without losing its historical value.
The book is based on the painting of the same name by Johannes Vermeer, who is a primary character in the book. The circumstances regarding the actual painting are convoluted, but author Tracy Chevalier uses her imagination and deep understanding of the history surrounding the time to concoct a story that is easy to believe.
As an editor, the single most bothersome thing I found about this book is the inclusion of the letter “s” at the end of such words as “towards” and “backwards.” Because I don’t know much about the time period or writings during it, I cannot make an educated opinion about its necessity. However, because my eye is trained to remove such extraneous letters, I found myself getting tripped up over this minor preference often. Other less invasive issues obstructed my steady reading of the book as well. The names in the book are not common to Americans, nor I suppose, should they be. However, I do believe the author could have chosen names that Americans could at least make an attempt to pronounce correctly. Several had names of the 10 known names of his children, but “Maertge” was among a few that the author apparently made up. I don’t have the first clue about how to pronounce that. I often resorted to calling her “Mary” in my head.
Aside from my editorial rants, I very much enjoyed this book. It is different from the majority of books I read and it taught me several things I didn’t know about life before it was as it is now. Chevalier creates a main character who is so different from myself, and likely much different from most readers, but nonetheless I am compelled to project myself onto her as I read. I feel as though her thoughts are my own and her trials affect me. When she had a long day, I had a long day. When she was triumphant, I was, and when she was grief-stricken, so was I. I highly recommend this book to lovers and haters of classics. It’s modern enough to do without the confusing and flowery language as such authors as Emily Bronte without losing its historical value.
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