A Review of One of the Best Books Ever Written: “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt
I was fresh off of “Righteous Mind, Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion” by Jonathn Haidt; the book explored the psychology of polarization and difference within politics and religion using empirical data from several independent studies. It was an interesting book that sort of felt like a required reading for class (it actually was in undergrad). Although it was good, I was craving a story/novel. And when the Washington Post calls a novel a “masterpiece”, that’s a good place to begin looking for a novel, right (also a friend from my graduate program recommended)?
“A soaring masterpiece . . . Tartt has created a rare treasure: a long novel that never feels long, a book worthy of our winter hibernation by the fine.”(italics inserted)
Ron Charles, Washington Post
"The Goldfinch" is a renowned painting by Dutch Golden Age artist Carel Fabritius, completed in 1654. It depicts a chained goldfinch perched on its feeding box against a white wall. The Goldfinch is a novel by Donna Tartt. The novel won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. I stumbled upon this book back in late winter of 2024; honestly I wish I “stumbled” into something else.
Brief Summary (spoiler alert): The novel revolves around a kid named Theodore (Theo) Decker, who was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art during a terrorist bombing which kills his mother. In the midst of chaos, Theo “steals” one of the paintings that was on display—The Goldfinch. I kid you not, the novel for about 771 pages is about Theo navigating the trauma of his dead mother, the drug induced lifestyle that he undergoes after having to move with his father to Las Vegas (meets a Russian/Ukrainian kid named Boris who introduces him to drugs; God that was incredible description), working a furniture store shop, reconnecting with Boris who brings him to Amsterdam because he secretly stole his coveted painting (that has extreme sentimental value to him), and the trauma of his whole life coming down on him in a hotel after he killed somebody in defense attempting to retrieve the painting.
My main criticism for the book: it was so damn long winded. Now, that sounds elementary but the jargon of antique furniture, personal soliloquies, and completely unnecessary descriptions of literally everything made the book a “journey” that was so long to get through. It was so long that I felt like the parts that were supposed to be appreciated were not because it just took so long to get there (and maybe that’s just my problem).
If the goal was to insert the reader into the everyday reality and mind of Theo: mission accomplished. His days were long, often boring, deeply tragic, simple yet confusing and monotonous; this literally describes how I felt reading the novel.
I’m cognizant and sensitive to the literary journey attempted by Tartt. Tartt is a gifted writer and there were several well written passages, however the abundance of details took away from the plot in the end.
“While The Goldfinch delves seriously and studiously into themes of art, beauty, loss, and freedom, I loved it mostly because it kept me wishing I could stay in its fully imagined world a little longer. Donna Tartt was right to take her time with this book. Readers will want to take their time with it, too.
Meg Wolitzer, All Things Considered, National Public Radio (italics inserted)
I seriously disagree.
She should have sped it up. In my opinion, the book is known for its philosophical thoughts by Theo towards the end of the book where he has an epiphany about life in the midst of the great tragedies he experienced: “That life – whatever else it is – is short. That fate is cruel but may not be random. That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it. That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open. And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.”
Beautiful right?
It's like trying to surprise your girlfriend on her birthday with all her close friends there, plus a nice cake, with the flowers she’s always loved, and that necklace she pointed out briefly when y'all were at the mall . . . and annoyingly delays her arrival . . . and then gets lost because she put in the wrong address. . . and then has a quick errand she has to do. . . and then HAS to stop by her parents . . . you get the gist. Eventually, by the time she arrives most had to leave and you regret reserving the space.
