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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
3.75– for it being such a big deal that theo’s mom is dead, every character he meets has a dead mother
this book is so full and dense with gorgeously put together trains of thought and i am in LOVE with the rambling style of thought, but i’m sorry i do not believe the uptick at the end for a second- made everything we knew about theo’s character fall flat
only rating it higher for the prose and story build up- the ending partially killed it tbh
this book is so full and dense with gorgeously put together trains of thought and i am in LOVE with the rambling style of thought, but i’m sorry i do not believe the uptick at the end for a second- made everything we knew about theo’s character fall flat
only rating it higher for the prose and story build up- the ending partially killed it tbh
I need some time to write a proper review, but this is a masterpiece & although I’m not a Literature Elite, Donna Tartt EARNED the Pulitzer Prize
EDIT:
Ok this is the review I sent to one of my friends that convinced him to read it (slightly modified)
This book has so many layers that you can analyze for days: life, death of a parent, drug addiction, romance, art history, obsession, philosophy, etc. Everything connects at the end.
This is essentially a coming-of-age story about a boy grieving his beloved mother’s death. I’ve read many coming-of-age books, and none of them have felt as though YOU were aging with the main character (except for “The Lying Life of Adults” by Elena Ferrante). It’s largely because of Tartt’s writing style. It’s very poignant and thorough; every single word has meaning. Each word holds power. You can tell that she spent a lot of time finding the right words to say.
The main character, Theo, works in an antique store. Tartt wrote about this field as though she had actually worked in it for YEARS. And it didn’t come across as overly technical or like she pulled facts off of articles online. It sounded so natural. You can totally tell that she talked with all kinds of people in the business to ensure that her interpretation was as accurate (and natural) as possible. She did her research. It might seem like a minor thing, but to me, it’s a pretty big deal & the mark of a great writer.
Sometimes when I read books, I notice that characters lack dimensionality and individuality, but that wasn’t the case with this book. Tartt brought every single character to LIFE. Like I said already, every character had their own dialogue style, motivations, dreams, and desires. Everyone was special in their own way. The characters were practically JUMPING out of the pages. I could rant about this for hours.
Along those lines, I really loved how Tartt handled Theo’s character development. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil anything, BUT I will say that she did a fantastic, realistic job. Instead of TELLING us he was sad or paranoid or in love, she showed that in the writing. So for example, when he had a panic attack, she didn’t merely talk about his heart racing or his head hurting, etc. She wrote short bursts of sentences that demonstrated his anxiety and growing paranoia. His words were incoherent, he wasn’t thinking clearly.
Another thing that I love about this book is that Tartt surprises you. I noticed this with her other book (The Secret History). Even though she tells you what happens in the beginning (like Theo’s mom dying in this book, and another character getting murdered in The Secret History), she surprises you. It’s HOW something happens that matters. You are going on a journey to find out how and why, and you have to trust her to get the answers.
I could spend weeks talking about this book (& it’ll definitely be my personality trait from now on, idc). Everything about this book is perfection—the writing, characters, plot, etc. If you decide to read this book, you will feel rewarded at the end. Idk if you put much stock in my reviews, but I PROMISE this will be (at least) 4 stars for you.
Note:
1) I've seen people complain about the length of the book and the Vegas part being unnecessary, and I disagree with both complaints. The length was perfect and fully encapsulated Theo's psyche and experiences. Not one page was unnecessary. The Vegas part, although long, was also perfect. It showed Theo's aimlessness as a young kid who basically loved his mother. I loved how immersive that was and by the time that part ended, I was fully hooked on the story. If Tartt hadn't added that, I would not have enjoyed the book as much as I did, or gotten attached to all the characters.
2) People have also complained about Theo's character--how depressing he is, how unlikeable he is. And he is both of those things, but who wouldn't be?? His mother literally got blown up and he had a family that didn't give a crap about him and didn't want to take care of him. Of course he isn't going to act like Jesus Christ or some saint. He's going to be deplorable. He's going to be annoying (at times).
3) Do not read this if you're trying to complete your reading goal before the year because you will rush through this to fulfill some arbitrary reading goal--and you won't like it because you rushed through it. So read this when you're in a more relaxed mood.
EDIT:
Ok this is the review I sent to one of my friends that convinced him to read it (slightly modified)
This book has so many layers that you can analyze for days: life, death of a parent, drug addiction, romance, art history, obsession, philosophy, etc. Everything connects at the end.
This is essentially a coming-of-age story about a boy grieving his beloved mother’s death. I’ve read many coming-of-age books, and none of them have felt as though YOU were aging with the main character (except for “The Lying Life of Adults” by Elena Ferrante). It’s largely because of Tartt’s writing style. It’s very poignant and thorough; every single word has meaning. Each word holds power. You can tell that she spent a lot of time finding the right words to say.
The main character, Theo, works in an antique store. Tartt wrote about this field as though she had actually worked in it for YEARS. And it didn’t come across as overly technical or like she pulled facts off of articles online. It sounded so natural. You can totally tell that she talked with all kinds of people in the business to ensure that her interpretation was as accurate (and natural) as possible. She did her research. It might seem like a minor thing, but to me, it’s a pretty big deal & the mark of a great writer.
Sometimes when I read books, I notice that characters lack dimensionality and individuality, but that wasn’t the case with this book. Tartt brought every single character to LIFE. Like I said already, every character had their own dialogue style, motivations, dreams, and desires. Everyone was special in their own way. The characters were practically JUMPING out of the pages. I could rant about this for hours.
Along those lines, I really loved how Tartt handled Theo’s character development. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil anything, BUT I will say that she did a fantastic, realistic job. Instead of TELLING us he was sad or paranoid or in love, she showed that in the writing. So for example, when he had a panic attack, she didn’t merely talk about his heart racing or his head hurting, etc. She wrote short bursts of sentences that demonstrated his anxiety and growing paranoia. His words were incoherent, he wasn’t thinking clearly.
Another thing that I love about this book is that Tartt surprises you. I noticed this with her other book (The Secret History). Even though she tells you what happens in the beginning (like Theo’s mom dying in this book, and another character getting murdered in The Secret History), she surprises you. It’s HOW something happens that matters. You are going on a journey to find out how and why, and you have to trust her to get the answers.
I could spend weeks talking about this book (& it’ll definitely be my personality trait from now on, idc). Everything about this book is perfection—the writing, characters, plot, etc. If you decide to read this book, you will feel rewarded at the end. Idk if you put much stock in my reviews, but I PROMISE this will be (at least) 4 stars for you.
Note:
1) I've seen people complain about the length of the book and the Vegas part being unnecessary, and I disagree with both complaints. The length was perfect and fully encapsulated Theo's psyche and experiences. Not one page was unnecessary. The Vegas part, although long, was also perfect. It showed Theo's aimlessness as a young kid who basically loved his mother. I loved how immersive that was and by the time that part ended, I was fully hooked on the story. If Tartt hadn't added that, I would not have enjoyed the book as much as I did, or gotten attached to all the characters.
2) People have also complained about Theo's character--how depressing he is, how unlikeable he is. And he is both of those things, but who wouldn't be?? His mother literally got blown up and he had a family that didn't give a crap about him and didn't want to take care of him. Of course he isn't going to act like Jesus Christ or some saint. He's going to be deplorable. He's going to be annoying (at times).
3) Do not read this if you're trying to complete your reading goal before the year because you will rush through this to fulfill some arbitrary reading goal--and you won't like it because you rushed through it. So read this when you're in a more relaxed mood.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-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
challenging
dark
tense
Really liked the beginning, then it got a little intense and druggy, found it hard to keep the stamina up to the end as a very long book
Love the way Tartt writes. Fascinating story. Worth a re-read, eventually.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the character Boris, but this book was waaaaaay too long and dragged at points.
The Goldfinch swept me up in its narrative. Like Dostoevsky who shows up as a leitmotif, Tartt writes a compelling story that is also an extended meditation on how we are shaped by our character, the influences around us, and the choices we make.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes