The Goldfinch: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

by Donna Tartt

Aged thirteen, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise tears his life apart. Alone and rudderless in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. He is tormented by an unbearable longing for his mother, and down the years clings to the thing that most reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately draws him into the criminal underworld. As he grows up, Theo learns to glide between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love - and his talisman, the painting, places him at the centre of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

The Goldfinch is a haunted odyssey through present-day America and a drama of enthralling power. Combining unforgettably vivid characters and thrilling suspense, it is a beautiful, addictive triumph - a sweeping story of loss and obsession, of survival and self-invention, of the deepest mysteries of love, identity and fate.

• ISBN10: 0316055441
• ISBN13: 9780316055444
• Publish Date: 7 April 2015 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
• Imprint: Back Bay Books
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 784
• Language: English

Reviews

[roundtableknight]

"[...] it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch. "
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Rating: 4.5 (read June 12th 2020)
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One word I have to describe this novel: raw. First off, I had never read a Donna Tartt novel before The Goldfinch; I tried to read The Secret History, but wasn't in the right mindset. This novel was the same. I needed to be in the right mindset, and since I had bought the book, I was able to wait until the time felt right to read about Theo and his life. And I'm so glad I did.

One thing to remember about this book is that it starts when Theo is young, and grasps to our younger selves as children, with our obscure fears and hopes, to create a story that feels like you are the one who is narrating the story. Many times I had to put it down for the sheer fact that I felt seen as I read it: something that has never happened to me before while reading a novel. The pacing and life of Theo was incredibly done, and the people he meets along the way I feel as if I know them personally now as well. The only reason that this novel gets 4.5 instead of five stars is due to some racist language that I felt was completely unnecessary, and I couldn't overlook as I did this review. Besides that, this book was everything I wanted in a novel, and I can't wait to read her other stories.

[clementine]

You know, everyone seems really angry about the length of this book, and that's just not something I minded. I'm longwinded myself and I guess I can appreciate a meandering narrative if it's written well. I did love Tartt's writing, and overall I found the story very compelling and didn't mind the somewhat slow pace. (In fact, it made the climax that much more exciting to me.) I do agree that the story could have been told in fewer than 771 pages, but I don't know that I'd want it to! Really what bothered me was the final chapter; Theo's musings on humanity just weren't that interesting to me and didn't make for a satisfying ending, especially after all the action in Amsterdam. I feel like I often dock points for lacklustre endings: I'm pretty sure I gave Gillian Flynn's Dark Places and Gone Girl each four stars mainly because the conclusions just didn't do it for me. But although The Goldfinch did end on a somewhat sour note for me, overall I really enjoyed it. Despite its slowness, it felt like an adventure to me, an experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed the many hours I spent reading it. Will definitely pick up Tartt's other novels, and this time I probably won't leave them sitting on my shelf for nine months before cracking them open.

[lovelybookshelf]

An infuriatingly compelling read. I was surprised that I could be annoyed with something as fundamental as the characters, yet truly want to keep reading through to the end. I wouldn't read this book again, but I don't regret the time I spent with it, and I do want to read more by Tartt. Yes, I'm contradicting myself... More of my thoughts on this title can be found on my blog at A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall.

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

Carel Fabritius was a talented Dutch painter who was considered Rembrandt’s most gifted pupil. His paintings often featured delicately lit subjects against a light coloured background. He moved away from Rembrandt’s renaissance focus and developed his own painting style, with a strong interest in the technical. In 1654 he was injured in The Delft Explosion; 30 tonnes of gunpowder exploded destroying most of the city. Fabritius soon died from his injuries at the age of 32. Possibly one of the last paintings he ever painted, The Goldfinch depicts a goldfinch (a popular pet of the time) on light background. This piece shows his control over a heavily loaded brush as well as demonstrates his interest in lighting and texture.

Donna Tartt’s new novel The Goldfinch tells the story of Theo Decker, who survived a terrorist attack on a New York museum. Moments before the explosion his mother was pointing out Fadritius’ painting and telling Theo why she loved it; in all the confusion Theo manages to take the painting. Orphaned and alone, Theo struggles to find his place in this world while also trying to avoid being taken by the city.

While The Goldfinch is essentially a coming of age story, there are some interesting social observations being played out with the help of the stolen painting. On one hand, the painting represents Theo’s love for his mother and his need to hang on. I also feel that the painting represents that part that you keep hidden from the world; the secrets and shames that you tend to think will destroy friendships if revealed. This also serves a purpose when it comes to Theo’s friendship with Boris further in the novel.

While this is a novel about art and its seedy underbelly, I found myself a little disappointed in the lack of art history, art forging or art heists (technically there is a heist but that wasn’t thrilling). When I discovered my love of literature and learning, I also discovered an interest in art and art history, an itch that I’ve not scratched. I was hoping that Tartt’s novel would give me both entertainment and art history lessons but I was left disappointed. I expected Desperate Romantics but all I got was a bulky Catcher in the Rye.

I’m not saying that I didn’t like The Goldfinch, my expectations for the novel was different to what I got. Donna Tartt spends a lot of time looking at the idea of terrorist attacks and the lasting effects they have on the families of the victims and survivors. This grief serves as a baseline for Theo throughout the novel. Often it can be forgotten about but then you catch glimpses of the scars that remain and while they don’t justify his behaviour it really serve as evidence of the emotional rollercoaster he is stuck on. Tartt’s character development is the key to this book; she has created richly complex and flawed characters that feel so real. Theo, in particular, serves as both the narrator and protagonist; his voice throughout the novel manages to be both direct and reflective.

Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch is complex but over padded; there is a lot that could be cut out to make this a shorter book. I can appreciate the way she captured the life of Theo Decker; making this a sweeping saga, packed with emotion and growth, still would be achievable with a hundred or more pages removed. This is a tragicomedy in every sense of the word but my biggest problem was that there were some situations where things resolved themselves a little too conveniently; it happens but not that often.

In the end, I found myself sitting on the fence with The Goldfinch. On one hand the characters and development of this novel was spectacular. The other hand is the fact my initial expectations weren’t met and the novel dragged on too much. I know that expectations should never get in the way of a good book and my head is telling me that I should jump on the bandwagon, however my heart just isn’t in it. I’ve heard good things about The Secret History but I have reservations about it now.

This review originally appeared on my blog; http://literary-exploration.com/2014/04/20/the-goldfinch-by-donna-tartt/