A review by allison_21
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 The Goldfinch is a beautifully written story about a painting, a boy growing into a man, and the secrets that define us. I love the way that Donna Tartt describes her scenes - the backdrops, emotions, and thoughts feel so intimate, painted with words that make you feel like you're right there and in Theo's mind.

The story itself is sad but not entirely sad, maybe an optimistic kind of sorrow if that makes sense. I was left not quite wanting to let go of the lives of these characters, but uplifted in how Theo concludes his tale.

A quote that stuck out, near the very end:
"And just as music is the space between notes, just as the stars are beautiful because of the space between them, just as the sun strikes raindrops at a certain angle and throws a prism of color across the sky - so the space where I exist, and want to keep existing, and to be quite frank I hope I die in, is exactly this middle distance: where despair struck pure otherness and created something sublime." 

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