Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
Strong until the end. Theo desperately needs therapy. Very Dickensian and would benefit from losing 200 pages, but a clever read if you analyze it in doses. The Potter through line was a hit, the 4th wall break was a miss.
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
FINALLY! After the first section of the book, which I loved, I STRUGGLED to finish this book. I should have quit this book a long time ago but I thought I might be missing out if I didn't finished this highly acclaimed, award-winning novel. I wondered, I still wonder, why all the praise? The book is overly long. I recently read a couple of books that followed their main character from childhood well into adulthood and was struck by their economy of words. Donna Tartt uses all her words and then some! Typically I like to read every word in a book, but I found myself skimming large portions of the end of this book. And like poor Theo, this book bounces around and meanders all over the place. There are some parts that I believe are completely unnecessary and add no value to the story. I said on a number of occasions to a friend that I hope the inclusion of these parts will pay off in some grand conclusion. They did not. Overall I think this is an overrated novel. The author is talented and there are some beautifully written passages but, in my opinion, this novel does not showcase her skill. I do not recommend reading it.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book encapsulates the appreciation for art. It is such an interesting read for anyone who enjoys art. I have studied different art forms for about 7 years, and so I have appreciation for not only art that I enjoy, but I respect art that I don’t enjoy, as still a piece of art. I think, similarly to how art can be conveyed, this book is also something to appreciate, whether you enjoy it or not. This book helped me change my perspective on life, explaining how to appreciate things more, to take them as they come and make the most of them.
‘A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don't get to choose our own hearts. We can't make ourselves want what's good for us or what's good for other people. We don't get to choose the people we are.’
Theodore Decker and his mum are visiting the Dutch exhibition at the Museum of Metropolitan Art (MoMA), when an unexpected attack takes place. Theo doesn’t just take away trauma, but something else that follows him around for the next few years of his life. Theo then meets Boris, where mischief and then crime becomes a prominent aspect in both of their lives. Then when Theo goes back to New York, he tries to get his life back on track, but the haunting of his consequences all those years ago at the museum, come creeping back.
As I finish the Tartt Trio, I can officially confirm that The Goldfinch is my favourite of the three. The way that Tartt articulates every sentence into a cinematic structure, making me want to keep on reading to know what would happen next. Finishing one sub chapter, I would want to continue the next one, and the one after that, all because of the tension build up, which happens so dramatically, but so subtly, making it so flawless.
I hope Tartt does release something new, as I love the depth of her writing, and the level of detail she writes in. But for now, I am more than satisfied with finishing her work with The Goldfinch.
‘A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don't get to choose our own hearts. We can't make ourselves want what's good for us or what's good for other people. We don't get to choose the people we are.’
Theodore Decker and his mum are visiting the Dutch exhibition at the Museum of Metropolitan Art (MoMA), when an unexpected attack takes place. Theo doesn’t just take away trauma, but something else that follows him around for the next few years of his life. Theo then meets Boris, where mischief and then crime becomes a prominent aspect in both of their lives. Then when Theo goes back to New York, he tries to get his life back on track, but the haunting of his consequences all those years ago at the museum, come creeping back.
As I finish the Tartt Trio, I can officially confirm that The Goldfinch is my favourite of the three. The way that Tartt articulates every sentence into a cinematic structure, making me want to keep on reading to know what would happen next. Finishing one sub chapter, I would want to continue the next one, and the one after that, all because of the tension build up, which happens so dramatically, but so subtly, making it so flawless.
I hope Tartt does release something new, as I love the depth of her writing, and the level of detail she writes in. But for now, I am more than satisfied with finishing her work with The Goldfinch.
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Full Review coming. The last few chapters were extremely redeeming to the narrative to me. Excellent ending.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
This was on my list for many years - and vacation still is the best opportunity to read 800 pages of "modern" american drama.
And tbh I am quite torn about this.
One side: beautiful language, elegant story-telling, interesting personell. A well-crafted coming-of-age, surviving bad parenting, handling with grief book
The other side: too many time-jumps, missing feeling of time and place (how old is everybody now? How much time has passed?). Too often the feeling that sth is not working out or is simply too unrealistic (child-service eg).
But the worst part: the last 200 pages it turns to an action-crime-heist-story - and there is a reason why there are not many good crime-writers. Our hero is doing extremely stupid things, forgets how phones work etc.
And Donna Tartt has obviously never been to Amsterdam (or Europe): nothing here works out, eg our hero looses his passport and therefore can't buy a train-ticket from Amsterdam to Paris... really?
Overall: I enjoyed most part of the first 600 pages, disliked the next 200. And let's not talk about the end which is a contradiction in itself: not really a classic happy-end, not that bad for Theo either, but his last words so unnecessary depressing (life is carastrophe and so on)...
And tbh I am quite torn about this.
One side: beautiful language, elegant story-telling, interesting personell. A well-crafted coming-of-age, surviving bad parenting, handling with grief book
The other side: too many time-jumps, missing feeling of time and place (how old is everybody now? How much time has passed?). Too often the feeling that sth is not working out or is simply too unrealistic (child-service eg).
But the worst part: the last 200 pages it turns to an action-crime-heist-story - and there is a reason why there are not many good crime-writers. Our hero is doing extremely stupid things, forgets how phones work etc.
And Donna Tartt has obviously never been to Amsterdam (or Europe): nothing here works out, eg our hero looses his passport and therefore can't buy a train-ticket from Amsterdam to Paris... really?
Overall: I enjoyed most part of the first 600 pages, disliked the next 200. And let's not talk about the end which is a contradiction in itself: not really a classic happy-end, not that bad for Theo either, but his last words so unnecessary depressing (life is carastrophe and so on)...
I don't know how to pick up another book after this.