A Gentle, Quiet Power

I recently finished Susan Vreeland's novel Girl in Hyacinth Blue, and I must say that it is one of the best books I've read all year. Much like a Vermeer painting, the novel is rich and evocative, with layers of complexity below a gentle, quiet surface. The prose is clean, poetic, and (not surprisingly) almost painterly in some places. The structure of the book is unique and works wonderfully well: a series of short stories presented in reverse chronology. A "lost" Vermeer painting links these narratives together.

Now, Vermeer is one of my favorite artists. He is rightfully hailed as the master of light, but I also love how his paintings are so meticulous, atmospheric, and intimate, capturing quiet moments that suggest rich, complicated narratives of interior lives. Vreeland's deeply moving novel certainly does justice to Vermeer's genius. Each beautifully crafted vignette reflects how art can affect our hearts, minds, souls, and lives in profound ways. I will definitely read more of Vreeland's work in the future.