The film adaptation of Girl with a Pearl Earring was released my freshman year in college (I think January of 2004), and for one of my Much Ado about English (the intro course to my major) projects, I wrote a comparison of the film with the book (spoiler: the book is so much better). Thus began my craze for Tracy Chevalier novels. My favorite to this day is Falling Angels, though I also very much like Remarkable Creatures, The Lady and the Unicorn, and Girl […]
A Story Of Masks And Costumes
While not my favorite read so far, Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is at least moderately enjoyable. More importantly, though it is set in the 1660s in Europe, this novel highlights the illusion of social mobility we cling to and our obsession with appearances. We like to think as a society that we have moved on from the prejudices of Griet’s days, but reading Girl with a Pearl Earring, some of what she faces feels all too familiar. Read the full review here.