Novel Review: The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Title: The Goldfinch
Author: Donna Tart
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Num. of pages: 962 pages
Published date: June 2014

Theo Decker, a thirteen-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his unbearable longing for his mother, he clings to one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.

As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love-and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

Review

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 (pg. 881)

Holy guacamole! I finished this monstrous book! I started to read this on July, but then I put it down and picked it up again on November. I think it took a total of 2 weeks or so for me to finish this book.

The blurb made me think of a criminal book, like John Connolly's or James Patterson's. And if you are looking for that kind of book, I'd say this is not the book you are looking for.

Most of the book deals with the life of Theo. And not the kind of life where he was chased all around the country, while he tried to hide "his" painting. But, you know, daily life. Like move to a new place, go to school, get high with his friend, Boris.

It was kinda boring, but interesting at the same time. I could really understand Theo and felt his anguish from losing his mother and the conflicted feeling about "The Goldfinch".

I also like his relationship with Boris, but the second part of their plot... I felt it was silly. So, basically for 10 years, Theo didn;t realize that his painting was switched to another one. For 10 frickin' years![So, basically for 10 years, Theo didn;t realize that his painting was switched to another one. For 10 frickin' years! (hide spoiler)]

Overall, this book was a 4 stars for me. Until the later plot of Theo with Boris. However, I like the conclusion of this book. Everything felt right for me in the end. I also appreciate the (lot of )shout out Donna Tart gave to Indonesia. Wonder if she had ever come to Indonesia.


Image Source: Wikipedia

This book is for the following RC:

- 2014 New Authors Reading Challenge

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