The Return of Required Reading

I'm 3/4 of a way through my library books and there's one that I just have to recommend to the world.



It's a very short book, only about 230 pages, but the story is quite interesting.

It's story that mixes history with fiction and it's done in such a beautiful way that you just want to sit down and keep reading.

The artist in the novel is Johannes Vermeer, one of the 17th century's great painter's. The fictional heroine is Griet is a maid in his household.

The novel is about how her place in the Vermeer household grows, starting as a mere maid, to Vermeer's assistant, until finally she becomes the model for a painting.

The story is told with such detail that you can almost see the characters acting out Cheveliar's tale.

I've always been drawn to stories about history. Growing up I read as many of Victoria Holt's (and her many psuedonyms) accounts of the lives of the royalty of Europe. So that was one of the reasons that I was drawn to this book. Another reason, could be the film, which I haven't seen. I do make it a point to try to read the book after I see the movie, so I don't feel so aggravated at Hollywood, but this time I made an exception.

I'm reading another of her novel's now and it's proving to be just as wonderful, so if you get the chance to read this book, I really recommend it.