Flashback Friday is my own little weekly tradition, in which I pick a book from my reading past to highlight — and you’re invited to join in!

Here are the Flashback Friday book selection guidelines:

1. Has to be something you’ve read yourself
   
2. Has to still be available, preferably still in print
3. Must have been originally published 5 or more years ago

Other than that, the sky’s the limit! Join me, please, and let us all know: what are the books you’ve read that you always rave about? What books from your past do you wish EVERYONE would read? Pick something from five years ago, or go all the way back to the Canterbury Tales if you want. It’s Flashback Friday time!

My pick for this week’s Flashback Friday:

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland

(published 1999)

From Goodreads:

A professor invites a colleague from the art department to his home to view a painting he has kept secret for decades in Susan Vreeland’s powerful historical novel, Girl in Hyacinth Blue. The professor swears it’s a Vermeer — but why exactly has he kept it hidden so long? The reasons unfold in a gripping sequence of stories that trace ownership of the work back to Amsterdam during World War II and still further to the moment of the painting’s inception.

Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer was all the rage in 1999, roaring back into public awareness through not one, but two works of fiction centering on his rare but highly esteemed paintings. The more well-known of the two is, of course, The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, which went on to become a successful film (which in turn gave Scarlett Johansson one of her first leading roles). By comparison, Girl in Hyacinth Blue flew largely under the radar, which is a shame, in my opinion.

The structure of this novel is quite interesting, consisting of eight chapters that are stand-alone but connected stories. The book has a a reverse chronology that traces one Vermeer painting, from the opening chapter in the 1990s back through World War II and then still further back, finally reaching all the way to the painting’s creation in the 17th century. In each story, we see the role the painting played in the lives of the people who possessed it, and through each story, we get a snapshot of a different historical era and the flavor and essence of life at that time.

Truly a remarkable achievement, Girl in Hyacinth Blue can be enjoyed as a novel or as a series of stories which can be read individually. There’s a certain sadness to all of the stories, as well as some lovely moments of appreciating the impact of beauty on everyday lives.

Note from your friendly Bookshelf Fantasies host: To join the Flashback Friday fun, write a blog post about a book you love (please mention Bookshelf Fantasies as the Flashback Friday host!) and share your link below. Don’t have a blog post to share? Then share your favorite oldie-but-goodie in the comments section. Jump in!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a blog hop or book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!