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 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.
For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Audiobook Challenge
The Reason
This has been on my radar a long, long time. I did start reading it a couple of times but felt intimidated by the chonk and didn’t get into it. Finally decided to bite the bullet because it was a buddy read which helped to keep me motivated.
The Quotes
“I had the epiphany that laughter was light, and light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe.”
“Caring too much for objects can destroy you. Only—if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn’t it? And isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty?”
“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.”
“When you feel homesick,’ he said, ‘just look up. Because the moon is the same wherever you go.”
“Sometimes it’s about playing a poor hand well.”
The Narrator(s)
David Pittu. It was perfect! I enjoyed listening to his narration and the voices for the different characters.
My Thoughts
This book reminded me a lot of Demon Copperhead as I was reading it. A coming-of-age story about a child who loses his mother, gets tossed around by his supposedly well-meaning (and some not-so-well-meaning) guardians, with questionable friends and companions, battling personal demons, and long, rambling storytelling (in a good way).
They are very different stories though, even if they have some of the same elements, and I really enjoyed reading this one. It managed to surprise and shock me, and there are several interesting and colorful, and complex, characters that I can’t help but enjoy. I want to throttle some of them, but do I also love them? Yes, unfortunately! There are, of course, difficult things that happen in the book, but there’s also a sense of humor that comes through in the telling of the story.
This was such an amazing story and so immersive once I got into it. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read and to finish it.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
