The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is my all-time favorite book, and I re-read all 900 pages of my paperback every year. The story follows Theo Decker, starting at age thirteen, when his life changes drastically after surviving a terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which kills his mother and possesses Carel Fibrius’ painting The Goldfinch. Tartt’s use of language first enthralls you into New York City. From taxis to apartment corridors, each description is vivid. Later, the dehydrated and desolate Las Vegas suburbs starkly change the setting and imagery, but the reader is still completely absorbed into the world Tartt has created. As Theo’s life unfolds and he comes across many different experiences, The Goldfinch painting serves as a haunting representation of his past.
Tartt’s haunting story is no easy feat for the reader. The Goldfinch renders narrative power and unforgettable energy, though the thickness of the volume might turn some away from picking it up. Needless to say, even though The Goldfinch is long, it will fully immerse you, and you won’t want to put it down.