Tuesday 7 October 2008

foto from Flickr


I'm back to my last courses at University, and because I know I will have no time for choosing books to read, I read a final book for my pleasure before starting!

Of course, when you start reading a book you hope it will be pleasant, but when I started to read "girl with the pearl earring" I was totally and completely fascinated by the story of this young maid. I entered her world in her house and then starting to feel what she felt. It is so well written, that even though I read it in English ( I'd rather read in the original language when I can do it!), I was really involved in the story! I watched the clouds with her trying to figure out the different colours, I felt ashamed for the attention of a butcher's son, and confused for the secret errands she had to do for her master...
The story deals with the life of a girl who is the maid in Vermeer's house, and besides her duty as a maid she starts helping her master preparing the color for his paintings. There is nothing morbid about their relation and the way they work together, but there is a kind of unsaid attraction between the two. Things become a little bit complicated when Vermeer's Patron notices the girl and wants to be painted with her...
I won't tell you anything more, but be sure that is worth reading!

5 comments:

- A - C - said...

"unsaid attraction"... I like that!

Claudia said...

I don't know how to express it differently, she cannot admit it even to herself, and he shows his interest without being explicit... there is evidently an attraction, but neither of them talk about it!

Anyway, read the book! It's really marvellous!

qualcosa di bello said...

brava for reading it in english!!! (i can only hope to one day read something like that in italian...)

i just started my latest course in grad school & my italian classes, but i did the very same thing with a good pleasure read before it was back to the serious stuff (the year of wonders by geraldine brooks...it was excellent!).

& now i must stop goofing around online & read, read, read!!!

(yes, i got your email, but am waiting for a moment to answer in italian :D )

Stefania - The Italian Backpacker said...

I really enjoyed the movie, maybe I should read the book as well.

Claudia said...

I was a bit disappointed by the movie, they didn't catch the real story... There is not all this thing about the use of colours...

read it!
And welcome to my blog!
;)