Historical
Girl with a Pearl Earring
In 1660s Delft, a sixteen-year-old girl takes a job as a maid in the household of the painter Vermeer. Her quiet eye for colour and light draws her closer to him, to the displeasure of his family.
- First published
- 1999
- Pace
- slow
- Length
- short
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a short, restrained novel about art, class and desire expressed in small gestures.
Skip this if you want real historical detail on Vermeer; the characters and relationships are invented.
The feel
Content warnings
Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Bookshop.org | Check price | Buy new from Bookshop.org |
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Barnes & Noble | Check price | Buy new from Barnes & Noble |
| Print, used | ||
| AbeBooks | Check price | Buy used from AbeBooks |
| ThriftBooks | Check price | Buy used from ThriftBooks |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Libro.fm | Check price | Buy audiobook from Libro.fm |
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
Prices appear here as retailer feeds are connected. Where none is shown, check the store. Links open the store in a new tab.
Share this pick
Because you might love it
If you loved Girl with a Pearl Earring
-
The Remains of the Day
Another delicate story of a servant whose feelings are never openly spoken.
-
Jane Eyre
A classic about a young woman of low status who forms a deep attachment to the man of the house.
-
Memoirs of a Geisha
Similarly follows a young woman at the mercy of others, in a more ornate and romantic style.
Historical
