From the Bookshelf of Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
Loved this book - epic, sweeping, gets into the mind of the protagonist like nothing I've read in recent years. It's a long one though - prepare to have it take over your whole life.
...more
(I'm certainly no critic and sometimes talk in circles till I get my point across.....)
I've gone back and forth between a 3 and a 4 for this book, but ultimately stuck with 4 for a few reasons. The moment I picked this book up, it was obvious there was something 'different' about it...and not just the fancier paper it was printed on (and believe me, I did enjoy rifling those fancy pages...one BIG reason I still refuse to go to an e-reader). I thoroughly enjoyed this book, on the surface and in t ...more
I've gone back and forth between a 3 and a 4 for this book, but ultimately stuck with 4 for a few reasons. The moment I picked this book up, it was obvious there was something 'different' about it...and not just the fancier paper it was printed on (and believe me, I did enjoy rifling those fancy pages...one BIG reason I still refuse to go to an e-reader). I thoroughly enjoyed this book, on the surface and in t ...more
This book needed a better editor. I've rarely taken such a long time to finish a book of this length. Still not positive why it won a Pulitzer. Although I liked the story and the writing, I grew impatient with the overly descriptive scenes. It was as if Tartt wanted to be absolutely sure that her readers were able to get a sense of the place she was writing about. And there's nothing wrong with that, but Tartt uses 15 descriptive scenes when 5 will do to deeply root you in a place.
...more
I haven't quite 'finished' finished, but I can't take it anymore.
...more
“A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don’t get to chose our own hearts. We can’t make ourselves want what’s good for us or what’s good for other people. We don’t get to choose the people we are.”
After surviving the terrorist attack in a museum that kills his mother, thirteen year old Theo is left on his own, unable to track down his alcoholic father. He is lost and tormented, and clings to the last thing his mother loved—a small painting of a goldfinch.
“You can lo ...more
After surviving the terrorist attack in a museum that kills his mother, thirteen year old Theo is left on his own, unable to track down his alcoholic father. He is lost and tormented, and clings to the last thing his mother loved—a small painting of a goldfinch.
“You can lo ...more
This book was too long -- I feel rather like the King in Amadeus telling MOsart "There are too many notes" but it was at least 25% longer than was necessary. It introduces 2 anti-heroes, one of whom (Boris) might stick with me forever (a la Miss Haversham), while the other (Theo) I hope to lose as quickly as possible.
This book was painful for me, as a parent, listening to two bright young boys falling into a world of drink and drugs through the nearly criminal neglect of their fathers. Their wo ...more
This book was painful for me, as a parent, listening to two bright young boys falling into a world of drink and drugs through the nearly criminal neglect of their fathers. Their wo ...more
It clocks in at over 700 pages, and I have friends who thought that this was slow and draggy. I agree that there are a few parts that could have been tighter, I wasn't bothered by the pace of the book. In fact, one of the main themes is how long Theo is haunted not just by the accident but by what happened after the accident. I was willing to wait the long haul with him.
Theo lives with his vibrant mom in NYC. On a day when he is suspended from school, they go the the museum to see a new exhibiti ...more
Theo lives with his vibrant mom in NYC. On a day when he is suspended from school, they go the the museum to see a new exhibiti ...more
I honestly wasn't sure what to think of this book at first, but I got sucked in by the story. The insanely long story. So very long. But it was just engrossing. The characters are phenomenal. I absolutely loved Boris. The whole cast surrounding Theo were great.
...more
This book would have gotten four or even five stars from me had it not been so long. This book kept going and going and... going... I loved the authors keen eye for detail and her writing style, really good. But the story dragged on. I would have responded much better to a shorter novel.
That being said, I was really into the first 1/4 of the book. I could see this whole entire novel broken down into a tv show. I think there might be about five seasons worth in The Goldfinch. And it is an intere ...more
That being said, I was really into the first 1/4 of the book. I could see this whole entire novel broken down into a tv show. I think there might be about five seasons worth in The Goldfinch. And it is an intere ...more
This book kept me up into the wee hours. Rich characters, riveting plot, drugs, art, big cities, action...all of the elements to keep you fully engaged and submersed, despite the 784 pages. Cannot wait to devour Donna Tartt's other novels.
...more
Feb 11, 2014
Dana
marked it as to-read
Dec 30, 2015
Margaret
added it
Jan 02, 2016
Tuck
marked it as to-read
