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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
5 stars. What else did I expect? The Goldfinch is albeit a very different story to The Secret History (my favorite book of all time), but it still had all the aspects in Donna Tartts writing that I loved. It would take far too much time to write all my thoughts about this 771 page book, but here are the main ones.
There were so many home-hitting, powerful, and beautiful parts of this book, but my favorite part by far is when Theo is considering turning himself in for murder so that he will get a flight back home to America. Theo: “maybe if I say I’m a criminal America will return my calls?”
There were so many home-hitting, powerful, and beautiful parts of this book, but my favorite part by far is when Theo is considering turning himself in for murder so that he will get a flight back home to America. Theo: “maybe if I say I’m a criminal America will return my calls?”
I felt very emotionally invested in what happened to Theo. The last portion with all the “illegal” activity wasn’t for me but it still didn’t ruin the book.
“A secret of a secret” omfg te amo tanto donna tartt
A book that drags a bit when discussing certain things like Theo’s alcohol and drug use, but also a book that has a thoughtful discussion of the function of painting and art. Donna Tartt’s prose is beautiful and evokes a fever dream, stream-of-consciousness feel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
slow-paced
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. This book was long. Maybe longer than it needed to be in parts. But wow this was essentially such an in depth character study and coming of age novel of sorts that explores so much grief and trauma for our MC Theo, along with search for identity and love. I really enjoyed the flawed narrative from our unreliable narrator and this was something that built to what I think as a wonderfully thoughtful concluding few paragraph.
My only gripes are some of the passages went on for too long and I did feel a bit bored then at times. Boris was also my favourite character and I needed so much more of him. (I also wish the queerness was explored a little more in relationship to Boris and Theo’s however you’d describe it- but that’s a me issue). I’ve read two Donna Tartt books now and both have been really compelling to me.
My only gripes are some of the passages went on for too long and I did feel a bit bored then at times. Boris was also my favourite character and I needed so much more of him. (I also wish the queerness was explored a little more in relationship to Boris and Theo’s however you’d describe it- but that’s a me issue). I’ve read two Donna Tartt books now and both have been really compelling to me.
This is a long 771 pages. I liked the premise of the story but got tired of all the drugs and floundering by the main character. The writing is wonderful and I had very elaborate movies going on in my head while I read it. At the end I just wanted to get done and couldn't really appreciate it.
Everything that Oriana says in her review pretty much, this is a spectacular book, with so many layers and layers of learning and power and brilliance. I've got a Lit Degree and have had books forced on me to appreciate meaning and symbolism through course work years ago....I'm not going to sit here and write a thesis...this would have been a DREAM book to have had as course work. Don't be put off by the length of The Goldfinch; you will be pulled in and absorbed and released at the last page a rounder, more appreciative human. The depth of it is inspirational but it's also simply a damn great story with brilliantly believably written characters. Boris is fabulous, a breath of fresh air and who wouldn't want to know Hobie? This book is so much better than her others, she's accomplished something incredible in the writing of it. I'm awestruck at her skill. All I need now... is to see the painting.