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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I know a lot of people love this book – I found it long, rambling, self-indulgent.
This book reminded me of A Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe. So haunting.
I found this to be a slow moving book. The characters were initially appealing and then became deplorable. While many love this book, I am not a fan.
If you’ve ever tried to articulate to yourself or others why Art matters, this book answers that question. It’s a sad, funny, complicated journey through life. So much better than the movie.
The characters have no redeeming qualities. I kept hoping the book would get better, but it did not.
I loved this book from start to finish. It’s one that sticks with you. you will enjoy if you like diverse stories and historical fiction.
I thought the writing in this book was very very good, the prose beautiful. I listened to the audio version and I enjoyed the narrator very much. I loved Theo’s story and how the things that happened to him influenced his life and how he grew and changed. The only negative thing I have to say is that it is quite drawn out at times and …
There’s a good reason this book won the Pulitzer. Completely original, superb character development and excellent writing with amazing “turns of phrase” and uncanny understanding of how major life events shape people. Cannot recommend highly enough!
A wonderful piece of literature that is sure to be a classic. I was deeply moved by this book. It did take a little time to get into, but once I took the leap, I could not put it down.
Possibly, the the most perfectly crafted novel I have had the pleasure to read.
This was my book club’s read for the month. Got my hardback copy for $1 from the library discard shelves. It will be useful for arm workouts and also as a weapon.
Soooooo gooooood!
I just couldn’t get into it.
Way too long.
This was an enjoyable read. I didn’t want to put it down.
Better than the pretty good movie.
I put this book down for a while. I enjoyed 2/3 of it, but the was a section I didn’t like at all.
What an intense book to read, 771 pages of a story about Theo, only 13 years old, estranged by his father and his mother dies in a museum bombing, nearly escapes with his life and a picture of The Goldfinch. The story details descriptively and I mean details, his life after the death of his mother. The author writes as Theo and his thoughts …
Great story – a bit overblown – characters tend to be wordy. It took many pages at times to get to the point.
Excruciating with disappointing ending.