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Mar 28, 2019
In Susan Vreeland’s The Girl in Hyacinth Blue, a math professor summons his fellow colleague from the art department to take a look at one of his paintings. The math professor is insistent that it’s a Vermeer from its various characteristics, but while he is adamant about the painter and the painting’s worth, the author explains throughout the novel what art should really mean to a person. I loved this book, because Vreeland showed how a painting is much more than its monetary worth, and she used reverse chronology to tell the stories of the many previous owners of the painting. Each owner felt a connection to the painting, regardless of who the painter was. The painting evoked emotions that were deeply settled in the owners and that’s what art is really about; it stirs the viewer and brings meaning to the piece of art. I give this book a ⅗ star rating and recommend it to ages 12+. @ilovefood of the Hamilton Public Library Teen Review Board