Girl with a Pearl Earring

Several years ago, before I had kids and too many distractions I used to go to art galleries and sit and make up stories about the paintings. Or, I would find them online and make up stories for them. Yes I always wanted to be a writer but I am too self-conscious to share my stories.

That is what Tracy Chevalier did, only so much more eloquently. She is well-educated and researched the history of Vermeer and his paintings for this book. According to Wikipedia, Tracy Chevalier had a poster of this painting hanging in her room for 16 years before writing the book. She credits the ambiguous look on the girl's face as her inspiration for this book.

She puts so much personality and heart into Griet, the girl in the painting, that you feel you know her. You also seem to understand why Vermeer would paint her. This book is a beautiful look at the life of a painter and his subjects. While it is fictional, you feel as if this is the story behind the painting. It is a wonderful read, and I definitely recommend it.

My friend who told me about this book has turned me on to a whole new author, because I need more books to read!

The Boy Who Dared

What I love about being part of a book club is reading books I would not normally pick up. This is one of them.

The Boy Who Dared is a World War II story so, it is sad, and hard to read. I struggle with anxiety and depression so I often choose to stick to happy books. When I am reading a book I know is going to be sad, I try to read it all in one day so that I don't drag the sadness on.

This is Historical Fiction and is based on a true story about an LDS boy who did what he could to fight against Hitler in Germany during World War II.

I felt the writing was a little disjointed, much like this review, but the story is well worth the read. It definitely shows the hardships the Germans faced during that time. To speak out meant certain death and the bravery shown by those that did was amazing.

This book is a Young Adult book, so it is also the perfect read for Jr High/High school age.

I definitely recommend this. It is good to learn about the past and understand what others survived.

The Princess Diaries

I have a hard time reviewing books that are in series. I am not sure exactly how to review the first book without alluding to, or talking about the other books in the series. Well, I'll do my best.

The is the first book in a series of 14 books. A few are mini books that take place in between the major books. I have read 13. I am still waiting to get the last one from the library.

Now, I am going to write for a minute with the idea that most of my readers have seen the movie. I am a big believer in reading the book before the movie. Ironically, my wonderful Husband believes it seeing the movie first. But then, he feels about movies the way I feel about books. I also believe that most books are better than the movie. Lets face it, you can't get everything great about a book into the movie.

Now, this is one of my exceptions. I actually prefer the movie, and I will tell you why. First, the Grandmother. Now, who among us would not love to suddenly find out that we have a Grandmother we didn't know, and for her to be the wonderful, talented, beautiful, Julie Andrews. She is what each of us would picture as a queen. In the book, the Grandmother is not so great. She is a chain smoking, drinking, coarse, fashion obsessed woman. Her character is probably more realistic, but come on, when I read my silly young adult books I am obviously not looking for realism.

The Father is alive in the books as well. Now this is less realistic to me. She has a Father that she has known growing up, but she didn't know he was a Prince? Really? She seems a little dense.

Now, the movie aside, the books are enjoyable. They are not what I would consider great literature, but for a fun, easy read, they are fine. The author definitely has a sense of humor. In one of the later books, and forgive me, I can't remember which one, she mentions the movies. She talks about Mia watching a movie about her life and how the movie got everything wrong.

These book are obviously geared toward the tween/teen crowd. I feel they are appropriate for that age group. There is some talk about losing your virginity, but the girl does not, and its not the focus of the book.

Now, as a fun aside, I will list a few more books where the movie was better. The Horse Whisperer. Book - dumbest ending ever!! Movie - Robert Redford. (Need I say more). New Moon. The book spends way to much time with Bella whining. The movie brilliantly condenses it to just a few min. I will add more as I remember.