Girl with a Pearl Earring

I finished reading girl with a pearl earring written by Tracy Chevalier, which I chose as a summer reading.

This is a story about how Johannes Vermeer came to drew the painting of girl with a pearl earring.
This novel takes style of first-person narrative of Griet, the model of the painting.
The setting is 17th century Delft, Nederland. Sixteen-year-old Griet starts working at Vermeer's house as a maid for help her family, and become fascinated by his paintings and himself...

While reading this novel, I attracted by unique characters; Griet, another maid she works with, Vermeer, his wife, his mother-in-law, his children, a butcher's son, and Griet's own parents and siblings.
The basis of this story is romance between Griet and Vermeer, but circumstance around them and other characters make it more vivid.
And I think Chevalier's close historical research also gave reality to it. The values and customs are described well, and I could feel the atmosphere of that time.

But most of all, I admire Chevalier's great imagination. Though I'm not used to reading books in English, I could enjoy this book.
There is also a movie that based on this book, so I wanted to see it too.
Although I finished assignment already, I have plenty of time yet, so I want to read more English book during the summer vacation.