Some books come along and when you read them, they stay with you for a long time. That is how the Goldfinch was for me and I still think about here here and there. See why it has connected with so many people and why it is was made into a movie.
The Goldfinch: Summary
13-year-old Theodore Decker is visiting the Metropolitan Museum or Art, or MOMA, in New York City with his mother. During the visit, he gets separated from his mother and a bomb goes off killing his mother and numerous other people.
In the rubble, Theo meets a dying old man who points towards the painting The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius. That also happens to be Theo’s mom’s favorite painting. In a panicked state, Theo grabs the painting and walks out of the museum.
Theo is taken in and lives with his friend and his wealthy family. He attends school and befriends Boris, a trouble making kid. Eight years later, Theo is working for Hobie at his antique shop. Boris shows up in his life again and reveals a shocking truth related to the painting Theo has hidden away for all those years.
Now, Theo has to right a lot of wrongs that he has done. But it won’t be easy as he gets involved in the underground world of art. He also has to make it up to Hobie for what he has done and come to terms with his mother’s death, something that has shaped his relationships over the years.
Commentary
I was drawn to The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt by its beautiful book cover. It is a painting of a goldfinch peaking out through a ripped hole. It is genius and innovative. That drew me in and the crazy story of Theo kept me reading it whenever I could.
Donna Tarrt is known to release one novel per decade. But that wait seems to be worth it when she churns out novels that you think about for years. The Secret History is also a favorite of mine and I think even better than the Goldfinch.
If you haven’t read a Tartt novel, then approach with caution. Her novels are long and tend to be very detailed. I believe it’s to fine-tune her characters and as we know, to really get to know someone, there’s a lot of details involved.
Speaking about the novel itself, I loved the focus on that one event in Theo’s life. It ends up shaping the rest of his life. He really misses his mom and nothing is ever going to ease that pain. The focus on the trauma sets up most of the novel and the poor choices Theo ends up making.
Conclusion
It may be a long novel but the investment is worth it. You get to see Theo’s life unfold and it is one crazy ride. As a character, Theo is easily forgettable. He doesn’t have any outstanding qualities but you can’t help feel bad for him. Tartt knows how to build a solid backstory and write a great novel too!
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Lovely review! Sharing a link to one of my book post – https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/118548640/posts/3543911787. You might enjoy reading this book.
I’ve already read it and loved it. Great review!
I haven’t read The Goldfinch, but I did watch the movie and the story seemed so intriguing, except, yes, it felt like it needed to be fleshed out a lot more, which is where the book comes in I’m sure. I really want to read The Secret History but the length of the book is definitely intimidating me a little!
Thank you for sharing your review!
I read The Goldfinch when it was first published. I loved it, and still do, because she allowed me to see the real humans behind each character. Having been a teacher in a youthful offenders prison, I recognized the boys. She did not let their behavior become predictable, but I was left in a constant state of fear, because I knew just what could happen. I personally knew Russian Jewish immigrants during that same time period. They fully acknowledged the criminal underworld in their midst.
I am fortunate in that my local library not only caterers to me, but solicits my opinion. Many said they were afraid of it because of its length. I love big meaty books. The antique furniture world is as exciting and dishonest as she portrays it. But you can’t help but love Hobie. The brush-off from the rich man in whose family the main character had lived after his mother’s death was so painfully true I felt as if it were happening to me. It was another flexon point that could have sent the story in a wholly different direction.
It was my first read by Donna Tartt and I find myself fearful that I will expect too much in future work and be disappointed.
It is a special book and one that definitely resonated with me for a long time. Tartt’s style isn’t for everyone but she knows how to tell a story.