GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

Vermeer's evocative painting is the inspiration for this novel of sixteenth-century Delft about a young girl who goes to work as a servant in the home of the painter and becomes his subject. Tracy Chevalier tells the story from the perspective of the girl, Griet, who is intrigued by the painter as she cleans his studio, studies his paintings, and comes to know something of the interrelationships among the painter's wife, his many children, and his mother-in-law. Jenna Lamia infuses this glimpse into Vermeer's world with a girlish curiosity and innocence, capturing both the freshness of youth and the stirrings of womanhood. Other characters are also well presented; the jealousy of Vermeer's oldest daughter, the wisdom of his mother-in-law, and the painter's own quiet desperation are all expressed fully. Through the marriage of insightful prose and expressive narration, the listener feels a part of this world. It is a glimpse as intimate as one of Vermeer's own paintings. M.A.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]