The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) (National Book Critics Circle Award: Fiction Finalists) Hardcover – October 22, 2013

Author: Visit Amazon’s Donna Tartt Page | Language: English | ISBN: 0316055433 | Format: PDF, EPUB

The Goldfinch: A Novel – October 22, 2013
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• Series: National Book Critics Circle Award: Fiction Finalists


• Hardcover: 775 pages


• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; First Edition edition (October 22, 2013)


• Language: English


• ISBN-10: 0316055433


• ISBN-13: 978-0316055437


• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.8 x 9.8 inches


• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)


• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  
  • #32 in Books > literature & Fiction > Literary
  
  
  • #69 in Books > Literature & Fiction > United States
  
  

I won’t go into the plot since everyone will know it. My concern whenever I’m given or purchase a very long book is, “Will it keep me engaged?” and is it worth the weeks it will take me to finish it?”

The answer with THE GOLDFINCH is “Yes!” and “Sorta!”

To me, the book is divided into sections or novellas–the explosion, living with the wealthy family, moving to Vegas, etc.

The brilliant opening section immediately kept me engaged–I think the explosion and Theo’s experience and recovery is some of the best writing I’ve read in years.

The family he moves in with may remind you of THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS or Salinger’s Glass family. They are funny, a bit tragic and sort of odd. The father especially–something about his behavior seemed a bit “off” as did his wild dialogue; it didn’t seem at all “real” in a novel that’s very grounded in reality. (It’s revealed later why he behaves this way.)

The next–and for me, strongest novella–takes place in Las Vegas where we “live” with Theo’s father and girlfriend. The writing is vivid, the characters and plot really move along and it’s all terrific.

And then, for me, THE GOLDFINCH seems to stall a bit and slightly loses its way. This painting that Theo carries with him seems to be forgotten about and then every 100 pages or so is mentioned again (not that we care.)

There’s a novella about dealing in art (collection and deception) and our hero takes a downward turn, but I found myself losing interest and by page 600 was growing impatient for it to end…or for the plot to kick in again as it did in the first few sections.

I passed the Metropolitan Museum of Art the other day and was struck with a powerful and initially inexplicable melancholy. I had been affected by the experience of reading The Goldfinch, in the opening chapters of which a great tragedy happens there. The book is compelling and moving. Tartt is a master of foreshadowing, letting us know just enough of what is to come that we feel helpless to put down the book. I found myself staying up late for several nights, turning page after page to connect the dots. This book is every bit the equal of The Secret history in this regard. And it exceeds that earlier book in its great emotional depth. The opening section, in New York City, is terribly sad and in the hands of a lesser author this material would be difficult to get past. However, Tartt has signaled us well enough about the future of our protagonist, Theodore Dekker, that we stick with him. And from the second section of the book, while we have no shortage of continuing misery, it is tempered by hope or humor.

This is not to say that the book is necessarily realistic; it is structurally a Bildungsroman, and it constantly evokes earlier books rather than real life. In the opening section, when Theo is still living in New York City, I particularly detected The Catcher in the Rye.

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