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.
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.
