Although everyone enjoyed reading this book, we didn't have many issues to discuss at our meeting. It is a time and place beautifully depicted with many interesting aspects of the struggles and restrictions of the lives of the characters. Some reservation was expressed about how much of the story was based in truth, how much was based in reality, and how much was merely a fictional filling in of the blanks.

I loved the jealoudy that erode from the main characters. And I loved it when she slapped the little girl. Overall I give it a B

I loved this book and the preface from the author, Tracy Chevalier, pulled it together. The author had owned a print of the picture and was facinated by the Girl with the Pearl Earring. The author brought her and the story of the painting to life. My copy had photos of pieces of the painter, Veneer's Art to refence, which were described with their own stories as well.

It was a very moving and engrossing book.

The ending is the best part, unfolds beautifully.

We read this book 10 years ago. It was our first book club pick. Now 10 years later, we decided to read again! Our opinion didn't really change. We enjoyed the atmospheric, descriptive nature of thethe time period. The romantic aspect was not lost on the group. It was interesting to notr the cultural differences in each class.

Our club really enjoyed this book; a few of us used the edition which showed Vermeer's paintings alongside the text which really helped set the scene for the time and place of the story. The historical aspects of the narrative (such as Delft china, the Netherlands, the clothes and homes of the time) really captured the imagination of our group. Our discussion centered more around the environment of the times rather than the plot or characters, similar to the experience of one of the other Book Movement clubs. We all found the story to have a satisfactory ending and the characters seemed realistic and likeable, except for Vermeer's wife and Vermeer's patron (ugh!)