Girl with a Pearl Earring

So today I want to write this blog entry in two parts, the first is a review of the book, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and the second on the movie they made of the book.

So part one:

When I was in year eight, my english teacher came up to me during a period called Wider Reading (basically a lesson spent getting books suggested to us and then choosing a book and reading for the rest of the lesson). My teacher approached me and took me to the senior fiction and pulled out a stack of books for me to read. One of them was Girl with a Pearl Earring, sadly I made the unfortunate decision to read the book Possession by A. S. Byatt first, not a great decision on my part as this book put me off all books of that nature. I gave up after about 300 pages on snail paced supposed romance. I then made an even worse by my choosing Wuthering Heights as my next book (one of the most depressing novels I have ever in my life attempted to read) and soon gave up after about 200 pages.

Sadly, I never decided to read Girl with a Pearl Earring that year, but perhaps it was a good thing because I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it the same way if I had read when I was fourteen.

When I picked up this book again from my school library I was looking for something "literary," I felt like something that would challenge me a little, but still something I would enjoy. So I chose that book, and surprising I really enjoyed it.

The story line was gentle, it was nice book, yet it was full of anticipation. Griet, the main character was very interesting and I found myself staring at the painting on the front cover and wondering if I could see the Griet, whose mind I had read in her eyes. I found that I could, this book gave me a new appreciation for a painting which I had always liked, but now find that I love.

The relationship between her and Vermeer was tenuous and filled with fleeting glances. There's a lot of forbidden love but mixed into a real life situation which adds finality to the book. I can't explain my love for this book without giving away a heap of spoilers, but it's safe to say that this is one of my favourites.

Part two:
The movie... *sigh,* I wasn't expecting much when I started this movie and after watching the trailer I had set my expectations even lower, with hope that it would somewhat impress me. But when you skip the first half of the book and cut out major characters? that's where I draw the line.

This movie wanted so badly to get to the "real" plot line that it skipped over the build up. It didn't give any insight into Griet's personality and if you had never read the book, you wouldn't understand the way she thinks at all. The plot line focused so much on the romance, that it brought the movie down.

I had wondered how they were going to make a movie of a book where the main character is so internalised and they did not do it well. As much as I loved Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers I feel like she didn't quite pull off the depth this character had, the depth the painting has. She lacked those emotions and values that are so integral to Griet and only focussed on how ladies at the time would have acted in regard to men, rather than how Griet acted.

The only highlight of the movie was Colin Firth as Vermeer, although I have to admit that I am biased when it comes to Colin Firth (be still my beating heart), but while he almost seemed too young for the role, he did seem to capture some of his character's sardonic nature and intense feelings.

Overall I wouldn't recommend the movie, especially if you have read the book, it only leads to disappointment and bafflement at the spoiled plot. Plus the skipped a significant part of the ending.

If you would like the Goodreads link to the book click here