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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I feel like I just read The Secret History all over again!
This story begins with a flashback account of a 13 y.o. boy trying to escape a NY city art museum that has had an explosion. The narrative is spotty, confusing, and spot on in the way it depicts what a kid would have been able to remember and relate in the midst of such a trauma. Trust me, this part of the book is hard-going, but true fans of Donna Tartt will hang on for the ride, because it all starts to come together in such an amazing story that you'll never forget. I savored every word of this book. So to those who say it was too long, I have to beg them to go back and try again. The language of this book is so rich, like a decadent chocolate truffle for those who appreciate good literature. The plot is so intricate and well-crafted that I want to thank Tartt's editor and publisher for giving her the ten years it took her to write this tome. I only wish that there were more info about Tartt herself. After reading her books, I want a juicy interview that, for one, explains where she got her knowledge of street drugs, NY high society, and Russian mobsters. If you haven't read this one, put aside some time and get ready for an all-encompassing read!
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I dunno, it's just not got the same pizazz that the secret history has. Like while secret history is like everyone's horrible and I'm compelled, I felt the goldfinch was like everyone's horrible and I kinda wanted to leave them to it.
I almost gave up on this and sheer stubbornness kept me going. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll read it again. It kinda felt like the book took 500 pages to get going.
also I'm sorry but that painting would not have survived the sheer amount of cigarette smoke it was exposed to, let alone literally everything else that the poor thing went through
I almost gave up on this and sheer stubbornness kept me going. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll read it again. It kinda felt like the book took 500 pages to get going.
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Goldfinch is undeniably ambitious. Tartt has the chops to tackle a story sprawling across decades, cities, and themes. But did it all come together in a satisfying way?
The book’s strengths lie mainly in its exploration of fate, beauty, and the randomness of existence. Structurally, it’s impressive. The story is woven with echoes and returns that tie the ending neatly back to the beginning, giving the novel a satisfying circularity even if the journey meanders. Her prose is solid and functional but infrequently dazzling.
The first misstep? Theo himself. He felt bland, hard to connect with, and often too passive—smothered by circumstance. Hobie and Pippa were a delight, but instead of more of them we got more Boris. Yes, Boris was entertaining at times—funny, over the top, a sharp contrast to Theo—but whole stretches with him, plus plotlines like Kitzy, the endless drug binges, and the mafia-ish Amsterdam detour, felt superfluous. The book dragged even when things were “happening.” With tighter editing, it could have easily been under 500 pages.
Ironically, the novel’s looseness, which framed the story in a way that gave it massive potential, ended up being one of its biggest issues. Its large scope ultimately makes it easy to get lost or disconnected. Unlike The Secret History, the focus here often felt diffuse, and I never felt fully gripped.
The bottom line: The Goldfinch is memorable but not life-changing. At 700+ pages, I wanted to be swept away, but I mostly trudged through.
Would I recommend it? Maybe, to Tartt fans and die-hard literary fiction readers. To the average reader? Probably not, because my final verdict is that this is a challenging and bloated novel that may feel “not worth it” to many readers.
The book’s strengths lie mainly in its exploration of fate, beauty, and the randomness of existence. Structurally, it’s impressive. The story is woven with echoes and returns that tie the ending neatly back to the beginning, giving the novel a satisfying circularity even if the journey meanders. Her prose is solid and functional but infrequently dazzling.
The first misstep? Theo himself. He felt bland, hard to connect with, and often too passive—smothered by circumstance. Hobie and Pippa were a delight, but instead of more of them we got more Boris. Yes, Boris was entertaining at times—funny, over the top, a sharp contrast to Theo—but whole stretches with him, plus plotlines like Kitzy, the endless drug binges, and the mafia-ish Amsterdam detour, felt superfluous. The book dragged even when things were “happening.” With tighter editing, it could have easily been under 500 pages.
Ironically, the novel’s looseness, which framed the story in a way that gave it massive potential, ended up being one of its biggest issues. Its large scope ultimately makes it easy to get lost or disconnected. Unlike The Secret History, the focus here often felt diffuse, and I never felt fully gripped.
The bottom line: The Goldfinch is memorable but not life-changing. At 700+ pages, I wanted to be swept away, but I mostly trudged through.
Would I recommend it? Maybe, to Tartt fans and die-hard literary fiction readers. To the average reader? Probably not, because my final verdict is that this is a challenging and bloated novel that may feel “not worth it” to many readers.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content