The Goldfinch
Ratings568
Average rating4
Too slow to stomach another 300+ pages. Hated Boris and the whole Vegas scene. It just drags.
Only part I enjoyed was the beginning and the scene in the museum, post-bomb.
Enjoyed, Boris was the highlight for me as I'm sure was the same for many others.Although I did struggle with some of Theo's streams of consciousness, and found them slightly too waffly and drawn out. But overall some great themes and lessons learnt by Theo.
This book is not perfect, but I loved it. Sure, it may have been overly long (Amsterdam...), but I whipped through it in a week, never wanting to put it down, always wanting to get back to it. The last 10 or 20 pages really blew me away; I felt profoundly moved by Theo's summing up of what he's really learned in his life - that nothing is really black and white; that art and magic and love live in the in-between space between “reality” and illusion. No truth beyond illusion. The few flaws I can see in it seem almost purposeful - as if Tartt left in some parts that could have been polished up or shortened, to reflect Theo's final worldview. I'm glad I read this book every day for a week, as I've heard from others that it took them a while to get through to the end. Being so immersed in it for seven days made the experience much richer.
Obviously a well-received book. My only hesitation was its size. But it was a uniquely engaging and fascinating story, so I will say that it worth it.
Interesting story, but very long-winded. Reading this book was a slow crawl, and I think the book would've been improved by more editing – at times it's dreadfully slow. The story is good, Theo is an interesting character and watching him develop made the book worth reading. It's just all too heavy and at times a bit boring.
Compelling story that is too uneven and too drawn out for my liking. Major plot devices seemed to occur repetitively and I became tired of every emotional punch occurring the same way.
I bought this book at the reduced price of 99p at Christmas time not because I had a burning desire to read it but mainly based upon the reviews previous readers had accredited it with and the fact it sounded intriguing.
When I began reading I wasn't quite sure what to think, it was based in present day to begin with which was strange to me as from what the blurb had said it had to me suggested a slightly historic time frame. It begins in a hotel in Amsterdam with main character Theodore Decker clearly in some significant trouble and talking about how he feels responsible for the death of his mother.
From this point we are taken back to 13 year old Theo's world and the day of his mothers death which we learn is not his fault but leads to an act on Theo's part which will shape his whole future and a chance meeting with a stranger which will lead him to people who will become very important to him.
This book is a masterpiece in 700 pages, it has dark points and is a gritty read. It's characters are shade and light, as exemplified by the character Boris who is Theo's best friend. A Russian illegal immigrant with a propensity for drugs and drink who leads Theo down some very dark paths. He is also Theo's saviour at points and a true friend. There are a real variety of characters throughout who flit in and out of Theo's life bringing our story through a multitude of varied and often nail biting scenarios.
This is a book not for those uncomfortable with ongoing pages about gratuitous drug and alcohol use. I began to get a little weary of it at points but it is central to the storyline. It is a book which at points pulled me along so fiercely I wanted to shut myself away in a room and just read and read till I had absorbed it all.
It is not the best book I've ever read, it didn't fit my normal genre but I have a distinct feeling it will have imprinted itself on me more deeply than many books I've read so cleverly was it crafted and so different from other novels in it's telling. I was tempted to give 5 stars but felt unfulfilled by the end almost willing myself to have a happy ending that never came.
I'm 2/3 through and really hating this book. I'm really tired of reading about the misadventures of this little psychopathic junkie who never makes a good decision. At this point, I really detest the protagonist and don't much care what happens to him.
So, I guess that the “goldfinch” symbolizes Theo, who is bound by his addictions and trauma. Is that about it? Otherwise, Tartt has written a novel that reads as if it were co-written by Dickens and Dostoevsky, with the most annoying qualities of both. Double the bathos, double the prolixity.
I've read books about antiheroes that were worthwhile and enjoyable. This one is not. In the beginning, I sympathized with Theo because of his trauma. By the midpoint, though, it became clear that Theo's character disorder is inborn and not a result of his mother's death. He is simply a weak, addictive, sociopath just like his father. Hard to see any redeeming qualities.
The endless, pointless minutiae of the writing cries out for editing. This story might have made a good short story. It's a miserable novel.
I know that, based on the reviews and the awards, many people will disagree with me. I'm extremely puzzled about the highly favorable reviews. Of course, I'm also puzzled about the popularity of reality TV, which involves millions of people hanging on the shenanigans of detestable people. Coincidence?
Good plot with many twists and turns but a laborious read. Too much backstory that failed to move the plot forward. Tangential discourse is the order of the day. A redemptive ending helped to soften it.
Well written, entertaining book. By no means a Tolstoy or Shakespeare, but an excellent read nonetheless!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
Another challenging, engrossing read from one of my go-to authors for dark, twisty plots and troubled characters. I found myself reading this novel in chunks - 200 pages at one sitting, and then nothing for several days - but the episodic nature of the novel seemed to lend itself well to this style of reading. And, honestly, Theo's world was SO dark and immersive that I found myself needing to take a break. Tartt's writing skill has not diminished with time, and this novel was not only skillfully plotted but beautifully written. Her examination of the power of fate was interesting - can we deviate from the path we are born to? Are we drawn to good or bad willingly, or as a part of our essence? Does the bad that happens in our life ultimately result in something good? This is definitely a novel that can be read and savored again and again.
A bit long and meandering in spots, but overall a very good and immersing story.
A story about the lovers, protectors and thieves of fine art. It's the story of one boy growing up amidst New York high society, a gambling father in Las Vegas, all the drugs a teenager can get his hands on, a love for antique furniture, art world crimes .. all the while dealing with the loss of his mother and the tragedy that brings a famous painting into his possession.
Young Boris - what a character!
I described the feeling of this book to several friends as ‘watching a train wreck in super-slow motion - a potentially tragic event that you cannot turn away from.' ‘Potentially' because you hope for the best with each passing second. This might sound like a strange description of a book but I think it is an accurate description of the way it made me feel. As a literary novel, driven by deep and rich character narratives I loved it. I love novels set in New York and I love novels where I am both sympathetic to the characters and constantly wanting to warn them from danger.
Can an object, like the painting The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius actually help us rise above the chains that bind us to earth? Throughout history touching millions, each in a different way, a way that speaks to each of us at that moment? Is anyone good or bad or do we all live in the grey with random events tipping us one way or another?
Just enjoy the The Goldfinch for its narrative and ponder some of the big questions of life.
If I were to write out the major plot points of The Goldfinch it may not seem as expansive a book as it is. Yet the journey feels huge—much larger than its 771 pages; yet, seemingly contradictory, the novel is a fast read. Every time the story shows signs of growing stagnant, it zooms off in another direction. On many levels, this is an engaging read. Many will find it unputdownable.
Donna Tartt is an amazing writer (so why am I only now hearing of her?) She has a masterful grasp on her story and understands the language she employs. Even considering it takes her ten years to write each novel, there is an exceptionally high level of understanding of craft in these pages. Her characters are engaging if not always believable. Her language is interesting and intelligent. And the plot... it slows only long enough for the reader to catch their breath.
The bulk of the book is plot-driven, and this was the only factor that kept me from being fully engaged. For readers of plot-centric novels, I can almost guarantee a thoroughly enjoyable read. And though the novel is heavy in plot, The Goldfinch, I believe, successfully stimulates the majority of readers of fiction in a way only great books can.
The final chapter was absolutely beautiful—worth reading again. For me, those final twelve pages were magical—a brilliant example of the author's may talents. Some may find it a bunch of philosophical gobbledygook which evades answering their most pressing questions—sure, it is that, but that's not to say that it also isn't breathtaking. That, along with those first fifty or so pages, was for me the highlight of the novel.
The Goldfinch has been the hype this year, and this eventually will drag down the overall consensus of the quality of the novel. All the glowing reviews and friendly recommendations will increase sales, put The Goldfinch under the Christmas tree for many avid readers, and surely not live up to the hype for some. Let me be among the first to say that The Goldfinch was not the most amazing book I've read in years. It didn't keep me up all night long or make me salivate with desire. It was a good book, written exceptionally well, but for me it wasn't orgasmic; readers of intelligent, plot-driven fiction, however, may wish to bring a towel along just in case.
Let me start by saying that the writing is amazing – colorful, evocative, rich in detail. Now I understand why people have been waiting for so long for Donna Tartt to publish another book. However I just couldn't give this more stars. It started out with a bang – the first act really was great. The second part of the book also had me completely hooked but for completely different reasons. It was so gritty and real, I couldn't stop reading. But then it started to lose me. The story and the main character just went meandering along. It all seemed to be too good to be true (which it is) and then abruptly we're thrown into a violent, drug-induced, too crazy to even possibly happen portion of the book. I didn't want to give up though since I only had another 100 pages or so, but then when everything was tied up neatly and the main character started “talking” to the reader I felt cheated. I would love to read another one of Tartt's novels since I loved her voice, but I'm not sure this was the story for me.
I'm ditching. I've read most of the ending, and some of the stuff in between, but I'm really tired of the Goldfinch angst and the bag of pills. Nice to see Boris back, but not enough to make it to the end. All that said, I read the first 500 pages in one big gulp, something I haven't done in years so there's that. Plus, Boris and a great portrait of Vegas suburbs (and ‘burbs in general).
Wonderful Dickensian story that keeps the reader continually guessing what might happen next. The scenes are so dense with detail. Incredibly enjoyable and engaging read.