The Goldfinch: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

Donna Tartt

Oct 2013 · Sold by Little, Brown

About this eBook

A young New Yorker grieving his mother's death is pulled into a gritty underworld of art and wealth in this "extraordinary" and beloved Pulitzer Prize winner from the author of The Secret History that "connects with the heart as well as the mind" (Stephen King, New York Times Book Review).
 Theo Decker, a 13-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 a longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into a wealthy and insular art community. 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.
 The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention. From the streets of New York to the dark corners of the art underworld, this "soaring masterpiece" examines the devastating impact of grief and the ruthless machinations of fate (Ron Charles, Washington Post). 

Ratings and reviews

It is hard to believe that this was written by the same author that wrote ' The Little Friend ' , one of my favorite books. Donna Tartt's editor should be ashamed ; this book would have benefited greatly from some actual editing. I only finished this book because I'm a diehard reader...

Overall this book easily lives up to the acclaim. Personally the only part I felt could have been edited a bit are the over long stream of consciousness sections. While I appreciate they illustrate the despair and personal point of view of Theo a few of them almost made me tire of the book. But I am glad I didn't. Leaves you with a point to ponder and a sense of purpose and meaning.

Lovely prose that draws you close to each character despite their flaws - Narrative keeps a forward momentum without being an "action" type of story - minor complaint that the last chapter is too wordy/overtly philosophical. Recommend.

About the author

Donna Tartt is an American writer who has achieved critical and public acclaim for her novels, which have been published in forty languages. Her first novel, The Secret History, was published in 1992. In 2003 she received the WH Smith Literary Award for her novel, The Little Friend, which was also nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction. She won the Pulitzer Prize and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Fiction for her most recent novel, The Goldfinch.