The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

The Goldfinch

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 one thing that 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.

Reviewed by roundtableknight on

5 of 5 stars

Share
"[...] it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch. "
~
Rating: 4.5 (read June 12th 2020)
~
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.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 12 June, 2020: Finished reading
  • 12 June, 2020: Reviewed