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angelofthetardis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Told from the point of view of Griet, the writing somehow flows beautifully despite her limited world view and lack of self-confidence. You are absolutely seeing the world through her eyes; the actions of certain characters and the reasons for them remain shrouded in mystery, with your only insight being Griet's thoughts about them. The undertones of jealousy on the part of Catherina and Cornelia are strong, but there's no real hard and fast reasoning for it, especial on Cornelia's part. To me, she just comes across as a bit of a sociopath!
Likewise, you experience Griet's feelings incredibly deeply, even though she cannot always clearly explain or name them, even to herself. I wouldn't say it's a comfortable read; there are so many moments within the story that have potentially dark undertones, and the various characters' treatment of Griet is questionable at best. Even throughout the development of Griet's working relationship with Vermeer, the writing gives a sense that something is just 'off' about the whole thing. It's cleverly framed around a sense of infatuation from Griet's part, but at the same time Vermeer's actions aren't painted as being 'rose-tinted' by that infatuation. Instead, there are moments that suggest something more sinister on his part, even though they could have a perfectly innocent explanation. I was expecting it to be a case of when he did something to her, rather than if.
The story itself is quite pedestrian - there are no real sudden shocks or gripping action sequences, and yet it keeps you reading with very little effort. It also keeps you guessing throughout; there are several examples of moments where you clearly expect something to happen but the author takes the road less travelled instead. The ending is quite satisfying, but there are several threads left loose, which I would have liked more exploration of.
While this is never going to make a list of my favourite books and I doubt I would read it again, I don't regret spending the time on it. It may not be my style, but I can appreciate that it's a very well written piece and absolutely deserving of praise.
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
Minor: Infidelity, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Death, and Religious bigotry
fixesofia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Grief
thalia16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Classism, Rape, Blood, Sexual harassment, Death, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
sareidle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Moderate: Child death, Death, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
grace_cr1's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Child death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Death, and Sexual harassment
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really liked that the book was told in the first person and the reader sees Griet, Vermeer’s wife’s maid and his model, grow into herself as a young woman. Within the confines of her circumstances, Griet does what she can to have a measure of independence, even if sometimes that independence is only in her unconventional thoughts. She’s a lonely young girl who is on her own when she first arrives at the Vermeer’s and she learns to use that isolation as a shield.
I loved the attention to small quotidian details - taking a pail to the market for the meat or the fish and starching her cap by soaking it with potato peels. I liked the comparison the life of a lower class tile painter vs that of a well-to-do portrait painter. I loved watching Griet as she learned to really see, and her failed attempts to explain the the different colors of white to her father.
This is a wonderful story, well-told, and a fascinating look at mid-17th C Holland.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Classism
spinesinaline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Blood
Moderate: Death
mme_carton's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Grief, Body horror, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Excrement, Violence, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
hope_sky321's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Grief, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Child death, Death, and Death of parent