The Goldfinch

by Donna Tartt

Book Overview

Aged 13, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise tears his life apart. Alone and rudderless in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. He is tormented by an unbearable longing for his mother, and down the years clings to one thing that reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately draws him into the criminal underworld. As he grows...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0349139636
• ISBN13: 9780349139630
• Release Date: May 2014
• Publisher: Abacus (UK)
• Length: 585 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

ugh...amazing

an incredible journey through life, all through the eyes of a boy who loses so much and tries to hold on to whatever he has left.

My favourite book!

This book quite literally changed the way i thought about life. What a gorgeous book. The writing is phenomenal, the characters are well rounded, and i will never stop recommending this book.

Beautiful

One of my favorite books of all time. If youre a Donna Tartt fan, you will love this one.

beautiful book

i originally watched the movie, and when i found out there was a book i just HAD to read it. the characters are so intricate and the story is beautiful. i 100% recommend.

The Goldfinch is truly great

This book is so well written, a beautiful example of literature, imagination, and creativity.

The Goldfinch is addictive

I have read this novel twice, and I cannot get enough of it. The story itself is compelling, but I think what I have enjoyed as much is the descriptions of the settings: The dusty Greenwich Village shop, the bourgeois apartment on Fifth Avenue, the dirtbag suburbs of Las Vegas, and the wintertime charm of Amsterdam. I can picture myself in all of these settings, accompanied by such believable characters. I am able to put myself into the story, and it becomes a part of me. I do not wish to part with this charming effect.

Loved every page!

My favorite book I’ve ever read.

Review is of book condition not on actual book content

Book was maked as good and it was an accurate description. Front and back cover have substantial wear but no tears. Front page had small tear on the lower margin so overall it looks like a big book that was read and enjoyed.

Good, But Too Long

This book was just okay. It was too long, and I think it could have been condensed. It had a nice story though.

Not for Me

First of all, I have to say that I absolutely love Donna Tartt's writing style, it's beautiful. The story, however, dragged on for far too long for me, and I found myself bored through most of it. I would never deter anyone from picking this amazingly written book up unless I know they have the same reading tastes as me, but this was just not for me.

One of my favorite books now

While its 900 pages, almost every story line is worth the read. It's so interesting how they each develop from each other. Highly recommend to avid readers who enjoy the drama genre.

The Goldfinch

The book overall was good, but it had some very long dry spots.

Extremely Disappointing and Outdated Book

This book was absolutely awful! It was racist, homophobic and misogynistic. Tartt has the ability to write beautiful prose, but that is overtaken by her tendency to spend literally page after page giving excruciating detail about every little thing. This book is 962 pages and should have been at the most 350. I picked this book up because I have recently been to see The Goldfinch in person and was moved by the gorgeous painting. The painting is said to be the thing that drives this book when in reality it just lurkes in the background as a source of anxiety for the reader and for Theo. The reader is treated like they no nothing and need everything explained. The main character's drug addiction is a particuarly frustrating part of the book. Tartt describes his addiction issues in detail over and over and over again. There was instance after instance of Tartt taking literately two hundred pages to say something that should have been said in fifteen pages max. There are only so many times one can read about two abused fifteen year olds blacking out due to drugs and alcohol. I have very rarely been so offended and frustrated by a book, especially one that has garnered so much praise from such a wide range of people. Don't waste your time on this book!

My Favorite Book

Please do yourself a favor and read The Goldfinch. Donna Tartt is an absolutely phenomenal writer, truly unbelievable. Everything about this book is perfect: the story, the themes, the words, especially the characters. I finished it over a month ago and I still think about it every day, it's so close to my heart. Although it's long, I got through it quicker than I've gotten through a book in a very long time, and so did my sister. I would recommend this book to everyone; although it's about loss and grief, it's incredibly riveting. Every sentence of this book is a treasure.

Love, Loss, and Innocence

I loved reading this book. It exquisitely maps that way that we change as human beings as the world sets in around us. Following the main character through life allows you to form a deep bond with him. By the time you read the last page, it’ll be like saying goodbye to an old friend.

Acceptable copy

I bought the acceptable cover, it was missing the dust jacket and pretty dirty. I should have bought a $5 brand new copy at books a million.