Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

127 reviews

sarahbliss's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Addiction, and Drug use

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Toxic friendship

tovahs's review

dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Gun violence, Bullying, Blood, Vomit, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

maeve_simone's review

dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

actually obsessed with this book. in love with donna tartt’s writing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Addiction

rrio's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Grief, Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Suicide attempt

tuesdaydg's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

2.0

There is no doubt that The Goldfinch is a thoroughly well-crafted novel. Is it incredibly long? Yes. Is it incredibly slow? Yes. Is the protagonist/narrator insufferable and infuriating? Yes. Yet, I can’t really seem to fault the novel for these elements. There is nothing wrong with a long, slow book with morally questionable characters. What I can fault it for, though, is my own personal experience spending time with the story and existing in the protagonist’s head. So, did I enjoy this novel? No, not really. I attribute this to an amalgamation of factors, from my own personal tastes to false expectations to the feelings Theo’s narrative elicited from me as I read (or listened, rather). I think I expected the “stolen artwork” theme to contribute a sense of adventure or even a fun thrill that would linger on each page. Instead, this theme creates a constant sense of dread and overwhelming stress which exudes from the pages. This, in combination with Theo’s

Spoiler

severe addiction to drugs and alcohol

, made my reading experience quite unpleasant. I have to commend the author for her ability to bring out such emotion, but I felt the the constant weight of this combination of elements seemed to become exhausting, so that the trudge through felt daunting rather than exciting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Grief, Addiction, Drug use, Alcoholism, Vomit, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Car accident

kingcrookback's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Theo's story is permeated with a sense of displacement, of being out of place--grief, the passage of time, antiques, old art, physical distance, memory, estrangement, the gap between imagination/ideal and reality. For the most part, I enjoyed Tartt's writing style, especially how she captures emotions and headspaces that are typically very fleeting, ephemeral. This book is also very Dickensian, especially in its exploration of class, crime, and abuse.

However, as nice as the language was at times, it's slow-paced enough that I had to actively work (as in make sure I read a certain number of pages per day) so that my progress didn't peter out and eventually result in a DNF. The last arc of Theo's story is also rather incongruous with the rest of it, which threw me a bit. Tartt also seems to have a problem with leaving her female characters underdeveloped, which I suppose could be chalked up to the way Theo engages with women as a result of his grief, but it's still a bit annoying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Addiction, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

Minor: Racism and Cursing

whimsicalish's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I have read long, slow books with a focus on characters but this didn't work for me. The further I read, the less I liked the protagonist. It's ok to have morally gray or struggling characters but Theo was unlikable.

I liked following Theo through different periods in his life. The writing is strong and generally easy to follow, until the author goes through paragraphs of heavily descriptive atmosphere by name dropping places or brands I'm not familiar with. Not to even start on the casual racism. No, it doesn't "call out" racism. The author just wanted to write slurs.

Some content would have been fine to leave less. The long chapters describing his Vegas days are repetitive and boring that added very little to the story or experience.

Perhaps what bothered me the most was toward the end.

Spoiler

The only reason Theo changes his personal and professional behavior was because Hobie found out his deceit. Theo is finally called out on his constant lies, inappropriate ownership towards Pippa, and criminal activity that put Hobie's business in possible legal trouble. But he had to get called out. He didn't change because it was the right thing to do.

Theo's garbage but everything works out in his favor! He's even rewarded. Same with Boris. Then the characters have the audacity to say what they did was okay because sometimes bad things can make good things happen. Really? That's the lesson?

Finally the book continues to spend the last chapter spelling out the symbolism of the painting, The Goldfinch, towards the story. So effing pretentious.

I'm glad to be finished. I will not pick up another book by Tartt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Alcoholism, Grief, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Racism, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide attempt

ashleymg99's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Overall, I loved the book. The Goldfinch is a love letter to art, and the profound effect it has on us. My only complaint is that some parts are very slow. However, these slow sections often crescendo into one short line that changes the trajectory of the whole story.

Spoiler

these points mimic the explosion that began our journey, often “dropping a bomb” on the reader - and often marks the death of a significant figure in Theo’s life. His Mother. Welty. His Father. Andy and Mr. Barbour. All these deaths are sudden, accidental, and tragic.

. If you like antiques, art crimes, nihilism, and found family, you’ll love The Goldfinch. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Drug use, Grief, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Death, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide, Car accident, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

lindsaylhunter's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

First half was on the right track to being better than the Secret History, but I was willing the book to be over by chapter nine. The author has a beautiful writing style but, in terms of the length of her novels, has no idea that less is nearly always more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence and Murder

capucapulet's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts