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andsharman's review against another edition
4.0
The Goldfinch is somewhere between rambling and brilliant. Tartt takes on a male protagonist with much greater believability than in The Secret History and tackles more concrete themes such as love, death, time and beauty. The middle section does seem overly long, but the brilliance of the beginning and final chapters more than make up for this.
Second reading 2023
On the second reading of The Goldfinch I found the middle section less rambling, but the novels flaws more apparent. Tartt’s novel has sometimes been compared to Dickens, and the unlikely coincidences in his work, are apparent in this book too. This time around I thought Theo’s engagement to Kitsey, highly unbelievable.
Second reading 2023
On the second reading of The Goldfinch I found the middle section less rambling, but the novels flaws more apparent. Tartt’s novel has sometimes been compared to Dickens, and the unlikely coincidences in his work, are apparent in this book too. This time around I thought Theo’s engagement to Kitsey, highly unbelievable.
jenniferbirtles's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hdoomk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Mental illness, Gore, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Self harm, Alcoholism, Violence, Alcohol, and Death of parent
kristen_sav's review against another edition
Loved this book the first time, gave it 4.5, but it is a long one to reread and I was just craving something different.
ashlynmcadams's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
charlote_1347's review against another edition
5.0
I ADORED this book. From beginning to end it was flawless (at least in my opinion). The tragedy that kickstarts the novel -the gallery explosion - was handled delicately but unflinchingly. This authenticity flooded the reader with a deluge of emotion off the bat, and ensured an engagement with the story to come. I felt my heart flutter along with Theo’s during his first encounter with Pippa, I scrambled desperately for comprehension during the explosion, I cried with Theo when he discovered the news about his mother’s death and I felt pity for him when Social Services descended. His journey was extensive, but it didn’t feel it. His relationships and thoughts maintained my interest and kept me invested in the story. Andy made me roll my eyes. Hobie made me want to jump into the pages to give him a big hug. And Boris…how to describe that piece of literary perfection. He easily tops my list of favourite characters. He was invested and spontaneous, passionate and distant, loving and careless – in real life, knowing such an individual would be a curse, but in The Goldfinch...he made the novel that much more enjoyable. I felt giddy during his encounters with Theo, and I yearned for their relationship to develop into something more. That kiss during Theo’s parting scene only escalates my hopes (and I’m not sure my mind has been changed even upon finishing the novel). Theo’s return to New York, and his discovery of Andy’s death dashed his hopes and mine. His engagement to Kitty left me sympathetic to his situation and his kind heart. His ever-increasing drug use resurrected my desire to dive into the book, but this time to shake some sense into him. And then Boris reappears, like a candle on a dark, stormy night, and my enjoyment of the novel amped up even further. The big reveal, that Boris stole the painting years ago, left me aghast and hysterically laughing. When the deception was exposed, I couldn't believe I hadn’t predicted it already. The fourth quarter of the novel – searching for the painting, travelling to Amsterdam, the murders, Theo’s subsequent downward spiral- left me dizzy with emotion, but this did not affect my opinion of the novel at all. When I did finally finish, I wanted to turn back to page one and start again, but I knew it wouldn’t be the same. I want to wipe my knowledge of this book clean out of my mind, so I can read it again and come across Boris a second time. This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who’s willing to sit down and put in the hours. It’ll pay you back tenfold.
a_zimmster's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had a hard time with this book. It was sad but engaging. There were times I didn’t wanna keep reading and time where I could not put the book down.
In the words of Ronald Weasley “your gunna suffer but your gunna be happy about it”
In the words of Ronald Weasley “your gunna suffer but your gunna be happy about it”
bet78's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
jennajean's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. One of the more compelling and gripping reads I've had in a while, if a little long/repetitive.