Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

8 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Definitely a fatiguing book but the kind of book you’d want to teach or take a class on. So much going on in here! People I rooted for despite myself, the goldfinch as an emblem, the psychological triggers for the choices made compulsively, the life of the painting and the parallels to the soul of the protagonist, ask the people we meet by chance and what that really means, etc. Long book worth every minute and every page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

3.0

I think this one just wasn’t for me. Tartt is undeniably an incredibly gifted writer. Her characters leap off the page. The Goldfinch reads like a memoir and I often found myself wondering how it’s possible that someone could pull such real characters out of their head. The audiobook narrator is also masterful in his performance of each one. But part of why I continued to ask myself this was because their lives, and consequently this book, are just so oppressively bleak. Like, I’m a proud Sad Girl™, but this felt like too much sometimes. 

There were also numerous times where I felt like we were gearing up for an ending only to check the audiobook and realize that somehow I still had 13 hours left. As I got to the end, I started to have my usual audiobook thoughts of “maybe I’d like this more if I read with my eyes,” especially with the discussions about the importance of art to the human experience. But I’m not sure I would’ve had the endurance for this book in print. And when it does finally end, it feels very

Boris

ex machina and entirely too quick and easy. I don’t know, man. Maybe all the new adult fantasy I’ve been reading lately is finally rotting my brain. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Murder, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Vomit, and Sexual violence

Terrorism, bombing, organized crime

jelliestars's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cursing, Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infidelity, Murder, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Minor: Animal death, Classism, Deportation, Torture, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexual content, and Transphobia

cstein's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Some racist humor/undertones that the 2022 reader should question. Tartt's description of the attack and its aftermath are moving and memorable, in contrast to later passages and conversations which feel rushed and underexplained. Interesting use of an unreliable narrator and a combination of several narrative styles. Generally entertaining.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Violence, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Vomit, Death, Gore, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, and Mental illness

Minor: Antisemitism, Classism, Medical content, and Trafficking

loribeth1961's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

Back in the early 1990s, I read an amazing debut novel (that I keep meaning to re-read someday) called "The Secret History" by a talented young writer named Donna Tartt. Tartt went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for her third novel, "The Goldfinch." I bought a thick paperback copy that languished on the shelf, eventually to be replaced by an e-copy -- which I still hadn't gotten around to reading, until it was chosen by one of my online book clubs as our next read, covering both March & April (because of its 700+ page length -- my e-book copy, when set at a comfortable-for-my-eyes typesize & line spacing, was 1,400+!). (I still haven't read Tartt's second book, "The Little Friend.")

As the book begins, our protagonist/narrator, Theo Decker, is holed up in a hotel in Amsterdam, thinking back to the fateful day 14 years earlier when, as a 13-year-old in New York City, he and his mother decided to pop into the Metropolitan Museum of Art to kill some time before heading to an appointment -- at the same time that a massive explosion occurs -- a deadly terrorist attack.

Amid the chaos, Theo comforts a dying elderly gentleman, who gives him a ring and directs him to take one of the paintings (which happens to be his mother's favourite) -- a small, exquisite picture of a goldfinch, chained to its perch, by Dutch master Carol Fabritius (and it is an actual painting). Wrapped in newspapers and an old pillowcase, the priceless masterpiece -- the one thing he has left that connects him to his mother -- accompanies Theo over the next 14 years, as he moves from his mother's apartment and in with a friend's wealthy family on Park Avenue -- then to the completely alien environment of Las Vegas with his previously estranged father and his girlfriend -- then back to New York again (Greenwich Village).

First -- what I didn't enjoy: the book is very (VERY!) LONG, and very leisurely paced. Maybe it's a sign of our shrinking attention spans in the age of instant gratification, but it did feel like a bit of a slog at times. (At 700+ pages, shouldn't I be able to count it as two books read on Goodreads??)

(As an aside: Scanning the reviews of both the book and the movie version online, the word "Dickensian" kept popping up. There are some parallels in the sprawling, meandering, twisting plot, and large cast of colourful characters -- and one of the characters references Dickens, drawing a parallel between another character and the Artful Dodger from "Oliver Twist" -- but most especially the length!)

It's all well written, but some of the material felt extraneous -- there's a lot that probably could have been cut or condensed. Also, there are lots of foreign words & phrases throughout, which was slightly annoying, because I felt like I either had to stop reading and start typing into Google Translate, or keep reading but possibly miss out on a key piece of information, or at least some little nugget that would add to my understanding &/or enjoyment of the novel.

Still. Just when I felt like things were going nowhere, they would pick up again -- and I'd keep on reading.

What I enjoyed about this book: Tartt really is an amazing writer. The characters are all vividly drawn. As I said, I kept reading -- because I wanted to know what happened to Theo, and his best friend -- the charismatic rogue Boris (who -- timely footnote -- is Ukrainian); and to Hobie, the kindly craftsman and expert restorer of antique furniture, who gives Theo a home and a future; and Pippa, a fellow survivor of the terrorist attack, and Theo's dream girl; and the Barbour family, and more. (Apparently Luke Wilson plays Theo's dad in the movie version -- and I can see that -- but really, the only person I could envision as I read the book was a young Michael Douglas. ;) ) The descriptions of New York City and Las Vegas were cinematic. And Tartt's descriptions of the lingering effects of grief and loss, trauma/PTSD, guilt and anxiety, all of which hang over and colour the entire book, are BANG ON. There are several coincidences and plot twists that, while somewhat improbable, also keep things interesting.

So -- not 5 stars. There were parts of the book where I was thinking 3.5, but I wound up bestowing a solid 4. I will look forward to our upcoming discussion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, and Excrement

swaggynikki's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

This book is incredible. It's 800 pages and I read it in like two weeks in between homework and college apps, as in "in a time period where I really should not have had the time to read an 800 page book". I read it fast because I couldn't stand not to shove it into my brain like a feral creature starving for vivid scenery and homoerotic friendships and reflections on the human condition, and I read it fast so I could reflect on it as soon as possible, so I could read it again. I want to Know this book. I want to know it forwards and backwards and recognize all the symbols and hold them in my mind so I can notice them when I read it again. I finished the book by marathoning the last 2 chapters and for the rest of the evening I've had that spacey feeling where I can't get out of the headspace a book made for me. I'll probably reread the Vegas chapters, like, tomorrow of I'm being honest. I was surprised by how much of the book was unrelated to the Goldfinch and was more about Theo (and Boris) getting stupid high, but honestly I liked it. It felt all grimey and moralistic. 
My favorite aspects of the book:
1. Boris 
My least favorite aspects of the book:
2. The parts with no Boris
Like, I get it serves the narrative. But please. I love him. I love how unhinged and free he is. He's that typical "insane morally gray man" but he isn't morally gray! He's good and open and trusting and kind! I will be honest, the beginning of the book sets the scene wonderfully, but by page 150 I was just powering through like "where is he. where is he. where is he. where is he." Like, reading specifically for Boris just because I knew I would love him so much. I think the women in this book where kinda lacking, but not even in complexity, just in page time. The balance of characters was so good, the roles they played in his life were so good, the last section was so good. This book will stick with me and consume my mind and I'm happy about it. Ugh.
P.S. Popchyk being a crusty white dog was camp tbh. Yas queercoding.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Homophobia

lvr105's review against another edition

slow-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

3.0

I found this book very compelling before the time jump - afterwards, I found myself frustrated with Theo’s character and less invested in the story. The prose is beautiful, but the plot tends to either drag on or rush through important moments. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Infidelity, and Forced institutionalization

jeanneerin's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I do not know how anyone called this book “light-hearted.”

I really wanted to love this book, but I HATE epistolary books that expound on how “no one will ever read this” it just breaks that fourth wall thing narrators should have and pisses me off. It seems like such a stupid thing for this amazing writer to do. 

The main problem, though, is that for half the book I really thought I was reading a different novel. I kept expecting it to turn into the novel I though I was reading. I don’t think I can explain without giving too much away, but I think I can say this novel is much more cluttered than I wanted. And sort of cheap. At the end there are pages explaining the theme of the novel, like a Hallmark Christmas movie that suddenly comes right out and has the main character speak the title of the movie, twice, to make sure you get it. 

Donna Tartt has big idea and small ideas and ideas that are big and small at the same time and make you cry. Her writing can hit you in the gut when she reaches into your heart and tugs that one string you’ve held tight since college when you suddenly saw how perfect and stupid the world actually is. But you turn the page and suddenly there are three other ideas that just tangle the whole mess up and make you want to close the book and not slog your way through it. It’s better in this book than The Little Friend, but it’s still just too much. The exposition at the end just amplified the horror of it all. 

The main character is great. I don’t understand why he needed to TWICE explain this thing that antique dealers do when they are trying to grift people and can’t help but wonder if the editor was supposed to pull it once. But he’s perfectly, understandably flawed. I wanted to slap him and hold him close at the same time. There were three secondary characters I could do without, but that just gets to my whole too-cluttered aspect of the book. I loved the mother and can’t figure out why other people don’t. Maybe she reminds me too much of people I love. Other than her, though, the adult female characters were one dimensional or non-existent. They were all trash, and the way abuse is treated as mostly normal is upsetting.

I wanted to give this 5 stars, because there were places it had me crying, but none of this place were past the three-quarter mark and that last quarter just pissed me off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Gun violence

Minor: Vomit

Character suffers from undiagnosed PTSD and depression.