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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
first donna tartt book i read!! and now one of my favourite books i’ve ever read !! one day i will come back here and write a proper review with thoughts that aren’t all messy n ending with exclamation points but god,
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So slow and so long. But not in a bad way?
Beautifully written.
Beautifully written.
“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.”
God. Where do I begin.
This book destroyed me into millions of little pieces, put me back together, then shattered me again at the end. This book genuinely feels like a conversation with an old friend, one who's been through everything right there beside you, even if the main character is insufferable at times.
Even though I'm someone not very interested in art (I'd rather hear about the people behind the paintings and their disturbing stories, like Van Gogh and his ear), The Goldfinch was an immensely interesting read. Next time I'm able, I'm going to visit a museum with everything I've learned from this book in mind.
During my read, sometimes I would just have to put my kindle down and stare into space for a bit while I absorbed everything. Not because it was very action-packed or hard to understand, but just because Donna Tartt has the remarkable way of making you feel the character's grief and emotions in such a profound and pungent way it almost hurts. Even though my mother is happy, healthy, and alive, I felt Theo's grief for his mother as if I'd experienced it myself. That is a truly amazing thing to have accomplished as a writer.
In my notes, I remarked how the littlest details Tartt includes just. make sense? Like when there wasn't enough chairs at the Barbour's dining table so Theo had to sit on a random extra chair that didn't match the others at the corner of the table. Because that's?? so real?? I just love that little touch that brings the story that much closer to reality.
Another thing I noted was chapter eight. Nothing specific about it, it just hit me in the feels. Every desolate feeling going through Theo's mind during his monologues was relatable and I almost started crying. The just wanting to 'scrape by' and get it all over with is something I relate to that I haven't seen reflected or portrayed too well in literature.
One thing I noticed was that the action-art-based plot doesn't really kick in until the last 20 percent. The rest of the book is a mild, no-plot-just-vibes coming of age story and honestly? I respect that. I don't think the story would've worked if it was written any other way, but I think it's a good heads-up for incoming readers. If they came craving art-crime-related-action, they're gonna have to wait about 650 pages before anything really comes to fruition. And even then, it's only for about 20 or 30 pages. I didn't mind this, of course, but someone else might. I thought it was a nice refresher from other books where the action is nonstop, but that's my opinion.
Last thing I wanted to point out was Theo's prominent self-destructive behavior. I know that it's because of all his trauma, but I think that's the most I've seen in contemporary fiction. Usually these types of characters are presented in a fantasy or magical setting, where trauma is the norm and people don't tend to care about other's wellbeing, but Theo Decker is a normal 27 year old living his life. I enjoyed it, and I think it elevated the reading experience for me. Sometimes you just gotta go unhinged and completely feral, and Theo did that. Props.
I love Boris more than I probably should. When Theo was getting annoying, he was there to carry the rest of the story out. Same for Hobie. Those two will be in a special place in my heart for quite sometime.
That's the end of my review. I'm a little sad that Donna Tartt hasn't written any other books besides this one, The Secret History, which I've already read and loved, and The Little Friend, which I don't think I'll be reading. But I'd like to think, in lieu of many books published, she made three outstanding, phenomenal pieces of literature. Quality over quantity, I know, but it'd still be nice to have a bigger arsenal of hers to check out.
“I had the epiphany that laughter was light, and light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe.”
God. Where do I begin.
This book destroyed me into millions of little pieces, put me back together, then shattered me again at the end. This book genuinely feels like a conversation with an old friend, one who's been through everything right there beside you, even if the main character is insufferable at times.
Even though I'm someone not very interested in art (I'd rather hear about the people behind the paintings and their disturbing stories, like Van Gogh and his ear), The Goldfinch was an immensely interesting read. Next time I'm able, I'm going to visit a museum with everything I've learned from this book in mind.
During my read, sometimes I would just have to put my kindle down and stare into space for a bit while I absorbed everything. Not because it was very action-packed or hard to understand, but just because Donna Tartt has the remarkable way of making you feel the character's grief and emotions in such a profound and pungent way it almost hurts. Even though my mother is happy, healthy, and alive, I felt Theo's grief for his mother as if I'd experienced it myself. That is a truly amazing thing to have accomplished as a writer.
In my notes, I remarked how the littlest details Tartt includes just. make sense? Like when there wasn't enough chairs at the Barbour's dining table so Theo had to sit on a random extra chair that didn't match the others at the corner of the table. Because that's?? so real?? I just love that little touch that brings the story that much closer to reality.
Another thing I noted was chapter eight. Nothing specific about it, it just hit me in the feels. Every desolate feeling going through Theo's mind during his monologues was relatable and I almost started crying. The just wanting to 'scrape by' and get it all over with is something I relate to that I haven't seen reflected or portrayed too well in literature.
One thing I noticed was that the action-art-based plot doesn't really kick in until the last 20 percent. The rest of the book is a mild, no-plot-just-vibes coming of age story and honestly? I respect that. I don't think the story would've worked if it was written any other way, but I think it's a good heads-up for incoming readers. If they came craving art-crime-related-action, they're gonna have to wait about 650 pages before anything really comes to fruition. And even then, it's only for about 20 or 30 pages. I didn't mind this, of course, but someone else might. I thought it was a nice refresher from other books where the action is nonstop, but that's my opinion.
Last thing I wanted to point out was Theo's prominent self-destructive behavior. I know that it's because of all his trauma, but I think that's the most I've seen in contemporary fiction. Usually these types of characters are presented in a fantasy or magical setting, where trauma is the norm and people don't tend to care about other's wellbeing, but Theo Decker is a normal 27 year old living his life. I enjoyed it, and I think it elevated the reading experience for me. Sometimes you just gotta go unhinged and completely feral, and Theo did that. Props.
I love Boris more than I probably should. When Theo was getting annoying, he was there to carry the rest of the story out. Same for Hobie. Those two will be in a special place in my heart for quite sometime.
That's the end of my review. I'm a little sad that Donna Tartt hasn't written any other books besides this one, The Secret History, which I've already read and loved, and The Little Friend, which I don't think I'll be reading. But I'd like to think, in lieu of many books published, she made three outstanding, phenomenal pieces of literature. Quality over quantity, I know, but it'd still be nice to have a bigger arsenal of hers to check out.
“I had the epiphany that laughter was light, and light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe.”
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
donna tartt makes one truly believe that men are strange creatures
I know I was supposed to like this book...and I finished it. But...that's all the good I can say about it.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated