Girl With a Pearl Earring (first impression)

I've only read the first 12 pages of Girl With a Pearl Earring, and I already can't put the book down. The language is so incredibly descriptive. I can see every scene happening in my head as I read through every sentence. So far, Vermeer and his wife have come to see Griet (the main character) to see if she is fit to work for them. Griet is supposed to go live with Vermeer and clean his studio. From the authors descriptions, I have already learned so much about Griet. Just from the opening scene, I can tell that she is very attentive to detail, she's organized, smart, shy, a hard worker, etc. I could tell all of this just from a few pages describing Griet cooking in her kitchen, arranging sliced vegetables on a table. While reading this book, I am interested to learn about Vermeer and his paintings, and his twisted relationship with Griet. I can't wait to keep reading.