Welcome to Litsy!

Chevalier imagines the “girl with the pearl earring” is the Vermeer family maid and this is her story. Griet is fascinated by Vermeer‘s paintings especially when he gets her to help him prepare the color paints. She develops an eye for his paintings, but she‘s just a maid and must keep her place while also being his model. And she must be especially careful around his jealous wife and her cunning daughter. A slow but still interesting read. ⬇️

#two4Tuesday

1) As an attorney, I routinely have to deal with attorneys on the opposite side of my case. I hate it when I lose my temper with them because they are rude or lie or speak down to me because I‘m a woman. I wish I could keep my cool and often I can. But sometimes I just lose it. 🤬

2) Griet is 16 and a new maid to artist Vermeer‘s family. She‘s struggling with the job and wants to go home even though she does the same work there.

I‘ve started this book, another one for #foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

“He had achieved something with those eyes that I had never seen before: he had painted not just their color but also their internal light, the light that makes us human and alive.”

Loved this book. #Paint #SchoolSpirit

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

You know, I never actually read or seen the movie. But it was the first book I thought off!

#Schoolspirit
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs

#SpringSkies
#InvolvesArt
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#Jewelry #LuckyinLove

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

HF about Vermeer and his assistant-he ended up doing a portrait of her wearing his wife‘s pearl earrings.

#Artist

#NewYearNewBooks

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

At left, Scarlet Johansson in the film. Tracy Chevalier wrote a fictional account of how the famous painting came to be. Set in Delft, Holland in the 17th Century, it tells the story of sixteen year old Griet, who goes to work as a maid in the service of painter, Johannes Vermeer, and his family.

#BkBasedOnPainting

#MarchMagic

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This will be good!

#snowflake #snowflakes #papersnowflakes

I‘d read so many mixed reviews of this book that I put off reading it. I wish I hadn‘t, and I‘m definitely glad to have finally read it. Beautifully written, fascinating story, memorable characters and setting. It‘s one I‘ll remember for a long time.

I suspect that every time one of Vermeer‘s paintings is described, I‘m going to be online, hunting an image. This is the one that Griet, the MC, was just looking at.

Hubby and I have been watching the Great Courses lectures on the history of European art. This is one of Vermeer‘s paintings that the lecturer highlighted, so I was excited when it was mentioned in the book and I could picture the painting.

This is one of the books on the Viking reading list for our cruise, so I decided it‘s finally time to read it. I‘ve enjoyed a couple other books by the author, but I‘ve heard so many mixed responses to this. Second book for #jumpstart2023

I am giving this a pick overall, even though I am still deciding if I think this book was good or not! On the one hand, it did a very good job of showing the historical reality of the time and describing details. On the other hand, it was kind of one-dimensional and depressing. I agree with other people here who said they liked reading it, but it‘s not a favorite.

We had this for our Bookclub last night. I love the painting. I loved the idea for the book , the relationship between 16 year old beautiful Griet and Vermeer. There was something in the tone of the book , all the time he spent alone with her and studying her , that I didn‘t like , that turned me off the book. I don‘t know if I liked her writing all that much. Still, a brilliant idea to write a story about.

Haven‘t read this book since high school. Excited to reread some of my favorites from then. 🎨

I liked this book. I‘m looking forward to watching the movie and comparing the two.

I'm going to have a long train ride... so I guess this book will keep me company from the beginning 'till the end 🤟🏻🚉

I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it. Some will be old, some will be new - don't judge me, I have a lot of books.

Day 123th

Join the fun if you want!

#tbrpile

#movie2bookrecs @Klou Never read the book, but I‘ll be watching the movie tonight.

Ever get so distracted by a book that you mindlessly eat half a watermelon?!?!? 🍉

Luckily it‘s a short book. 😂😂

Interesting

Going in a new direction

Okay I enjoyed it. It is not a book that is something you will want to read every year or probably make it to your favorites pile for life but I liked it and I think it deserves a read.

I just finished this historical fiction novel about the maid that inspired Vermeer's most celebrated portrait. I liked it, but IDK if I liked it enough to keep it on my shelves... per Litsy's rating system, it was better than 'so-so.'

Have you read this? Do you think I should keep it on my shelves?

I enjoyed it but not quite what I was expecting. I thought there would be more a relationship between Griet and Vermeer. Still, it was a nice read.

Not entirely sure I understand what all the hype was about. This was fine but I didn‘t find anything special in it.

Next up. Might even get it finished before the end of my holiday.

Book club book for this month. Not something I would typically read but the ladies in the club love historical fiction.

I tagged the book #girlwiththepearlearring because it's the book that made me fall in love with Amsterdam, Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt. I was just 15 at the time. 💕 This picture taken in June 2019, 20 years later I finally visited Amsterdam 😍. Most importantly #CuypersLibrary in the #rijksmuseum. That's me👆looking around in wonder. Best experience ever.

4/4 😂😂😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 😺 #LitsyHumor 😺

Griet : H-
Maria Thins: Uuumm let me light this cigar chiiile

Quick read, interesting. 8/10

This was not what I expected at all at all but it was good. I was hoping to watch the movie but I couldn't find it streaming for free anywhere.

The creation of color in the 1600s must have been fascinating and it‘s fun to imagine what might have been the story in famous paintings. ...I lived 2 blocks from a major art museum for 5 years while neighbor was an artist and retired art teacher. I had so much fun joining her on frequent museum visits as though . I had my own personal tutor where together we would imagine our own stories of why.

Not for me. Maybe I was a little colored by having read the (much inferior) Miniaturist? The weird sexual tension between Griet and Vermeer never made sense to me, and therefore none of the other tensions in the story, I think. It probably doesn‘t help that the titular painting is not one that particularly interests me.

The mystery of the Dutch painter Vermeer..
#europe
#reallyrandomfebruary
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@OriginalCyn620

Delicious book to read in one day! Uma graça de livro sobre um quadro maravilhoso!!! Leitura leve e rápida. #MocaComBrincoDePerola #TracyChevalier #GirlWithAPearlEarring
#book #bookaholic #booklovers #ler #leitura #leitora #reading #instabook #instaread #instabooks #bookstagram #litsy #booklover #readingabook #amreading #books #Sha2020

This was a beautifully written story. I especially liked the details of the actual painting process. Fantastic book. Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#MOvember #Masterpiece this one comes to mind .. I did not read , but loved the movie. I then read At The Edge of The Orchard & did not like it. I like this painting

At the Vermeer Centre in Delft a number of contemporary artists have reimagined The Girl with a Pearl Earring.

This portrait, to me, was the most striking. She is instantly recognisable in her look and posture. It‘s as if Vermeer captured something universal.

Apologies for the strange light on the picture. It was truly beautiful.

Hello from #Delft !

This mosaic is in the Market area (Markt) near the Vermeer Centre.

Current audiobook

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 2
7 days, 7 covers you love, no explanation. Try to tag someone new each day.

Tag, you're it. 🖐 @quietjenn

Used book haul #4

Quiet, small, but a gem

Nice sale at my local library. Can't wait to dig in.