WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE
“The Goldfinch is a rarity that comes along perhaps half a dozen times per decade, a smartly written literary novel that connects with the heart as well as the mind….Donna Tartt has delivered an extraordinary work of fiction.” — Stephen King, The New York Times Book Review
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his … that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love—and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle. The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.
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Unlike most people, I found this book exceedingly tedious and overblown.
Not a fan of the storyline and characters although well written.
This was one book I really enjoyed but it was a sad story. This was made into a film..the film stuck to the book.
Beauty and personal devastation mix well in The Goldfinch. It really feels like multiple stories told from the same perspective, all loosely interconnected by threads of chance and fortune. It’s a beautifully told story, though it’s when Tartt gets down and ugly with humanity that you recognize the skill of her prose. A fantastic novel.
The first 300 pages were great. I did not really like this book all that much. Very pretentious in parts. None of the characters were admirable.
Tedious
I loved the uniqueness and quality of the story.
One of my favorite books!
I realize I’m going against the tide, but I thought this over written, long-winded, and stodgy. Each scene went on and on, way past my interest. And I usually love lit-fic…
Well written, but too long.
My favorite contemporary novel. Unusual, just enough darkness. I have given copies to friends.
Absolutely fantastic book
The author is a genius, but the book was overwritten. She needed a better editor.
Great portrayal of growing up.
Oh my goodness – what a book! I’m one of a minority of people who didn’t love Tartt’s first book, the mega bestseller The Secret History. So I put off reading The Goldfinch as I thought perhaps it wouldn’t be for me either. How wrong I was! I listened to the audio of this and the narrator was excellent, which I think helped to make it not feel …
Theo records in sensory detail the story of him and The Goldfinch as he moves from an comparatively idyllic life in New York City into a dystopian one. In either world, visual art and craftsmanship are painstakingly described, and seem to rise above daily life. I don’t think I’m giving away any spoilers here but I’m trying to put my finger on what …
Probably one of my all time favorite Books. Some of my book club got bogged down in the time he was on drugs. Don’t. this story is is so much more. It has so much depth. If ART means anything to you, it is a must read. You will learn so much about the Art world, but more about how art can affect a Life.
Hated it after the first few chapters- repetition galore
I know this book received high praise. The storyline was entertaining, the art history was informative, the characters were interesting , but…this book was verryyy drawn out. I didn’t think the main character would ever leave Las Vegas and get a handle on his life.
The Goldfinch is, unlike the painting the title refers to, Big. Capital “B” Big. It’s big in pages, tragedy, longing, helplessness, anxiety. Big in character, beauty, hypocrisy, and ugliness. It calls back to Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and Oliver Twist in all ways Dickensian. I loved this book.