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alidottie's review
4.0
Really 4 and a half stars--This was the second time I'd read this book. I really enjoy the manner in which this novel is laid out--I found that very entertaining.
**Reading again for a book group I will be facilitating for the library.
**Reading again for a book group I will be facilitating for the library.
alyssajcori's review
5.0
My mother loaned me this book and cited it as one of her favorites from her 20s. Wow. It was excellent!
The novel follows a painting throughout history in reverse chronological order. It’s a fictionalized Vermeer that ends in the hands of a school teacher and starts in Vermeer’s own home with a special model.
Because it’s about a Dutch master this is right up my alley, but regardless of subject matter I thoroughly enjoyed the novel’s structure - traveling in time each chapter with a different set of characters.
There were so many meaningful moments and appreciation of art. I completely loved this one!
The novel follows a painting throughout history in reverse chronological order. It’s a fictionalized Vermeer that ends in the hands of a school teacher and starts in Vermeer’s own home with a special model.
Because it’s about a Dutch master this is right up my alley, but regardless of subject matter I thoroughly enjoyed the novel’s structure - traveling in time each chapter with a different set of characters.
There were so many meaningful moments and appreciation of art. I completely loved this one!
angelamichelle's review
3.0
Very clever structure. Each chapter traces the path of a painting--who has it, what it means to them. The painting illuminates each character. You read to the end of the book to trace back to the beginning of the painting's life. I liked it more and more as I went on.
xeyra1's review
4.0
I was very curious about this author after having her books recommended by another BCer because I'd enjoyed other authors like Tracy Chevalier. Vreeland surely knows how to write and give a poetic and deeply descriptive vein to her writing, but this novel ended up not being quite what I expected.
It was original and different from others of this genre because it didn't explore a painting's conception throughout the whole novel (like in Chevalier's works) but instead explored its travels through its various owners. In effect, it's a collection of short stories that go back in time, which connection lies in the painting itself. Although it was a refreshing change, it also suffered from some of the failings of some short stories, like an inability to really and deeply flesh out characters. In fact, the characters in this book are secondary to the painting itself -- they sometimes seem to appear as background. I enjoyed the novel, but since I usually like to read a book for its characters, there was something lacking in this novel, at least for me.
One thing that annoyed me was that, although the painting, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, was thouroughly described throughout the book (as mentioned before, the painting itself is the main character in this novel), we never see it. The cover of the book does not despict the painting mentioned. There's a girl with a hyacinth blue skirt looking (and covering from view) at what's supposedly the painting in question. I would have really liked to have seen the painting of the girl sewing at the window, which is described often in the book, but you don't even get to see that in the cover... only in your imagination, I guess.
It was original and different from others of this genre because it didn't explore a painting's conception throughout the whole novel (like in Chevalier's works) but instead explored its travels through its various owners. In effect, it's a collection of short stories that go back in time, which connection lies in the painting itself. Although it was a refreshing change, it also suffered from some of the failings of some short stories, like an inability to really and deeply flesh out characters. In fact, the characters in this book are secondary to the painting itself -- they sometimes seem to appear as background. I enjoyed the novel, but since I usually like to read a book for its characters, there was something lacking in this novel, at least for me.
One thing that annoyed me was that, although the painting, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, was thouroughly described throughout the book (as mentioned before, the painting itself is the main character in this novel), we never see it. The cover of the book does not despict the painting mentioned. There's a girl with a hyacinth blue skirt looking (and covering from view) at what's supposedly the painting in question. I would have really liked to have seen the painting of the girl sewing at the window, which is described often in the book, but you don't even get to see that in the cover... only in your imagination, I guess.
msmse's review
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
dubious_little_creature's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jgintrovertedreader's review
5.0
Girl in Hyacinth Blue follows the path of a painting, possibly by Vermeer, from an aloof math professor backwards to the painter and the subject. Each owner has a different story to tell, and even a little bit of a different relationship to the painting, but they all love it and find echoes of something they feel inside themselves inside the painting. And isn't that sort of the point of truly great art?
The novel itself has the feel of a short story collection. Each chapter is about a different owner and is a complete story unto itself. The novel never feels choppy though. But--the writing. Beautiful. It lived up to the painting that I painted inside my head. I truly saw the landscapes Susan Vreeland paints with her words and I truly felt involved with each character's story.
If you love beautiful language, or you love beautiful art, read this book. It's just gorgeous.
The novel itself has the feel of a short story collection. Each chapter is about a different owner and is a complete story unto itself. The novel never feels choppy though. But--the writing. Beautiful. It lived up to the painting that I painted inside my head. I truly saw the landscapes Susan Vreeland paints with her words and I truly felt involved with each character's story.
If you love beautiful language, or you love beautiful art, read this book. It's just gorgeous.
kelest92's review
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
gonk's review
4.25
I'm disappointed because it had so much potential and with just a few more chapters to better connect everything it could have been spectacular
kjordan96's review
3.0
3.5/5 -
Overall the book didn't really hold my interest. The storytelling style of starting forward in time from when a painting was made and then going backward into time through all of it's owners was innovative. I also love Vermeer, so the fact that the story centered around him was nice. However, I didn't really become very attached to any of the characters. Though some of the individual stories were mildly interesting, I did not find the book to be cohesive or captivating as a whole.
Overall the book didn't really hold my interest. The storytelling style of starting forward in time from when a painting was made and then going backward into time through all of it's owners was innovative. I also love Vermeer, so the fact that the story centered around him was nice. However, I didn't really become very attached to any of the characters. Though some of the individual stories were mildly interesting, I did not find the book to be cohesive or captivating as a whole.