Hilary Donovan answers “A lot of reviewers have called this book...”

Ami asked this question about The Goldfinch:

A lot of reviewers have called this book "Dickensian." What is it about The Goldfinch that reminds everyone of Charles Dickens so much?

Hilary Donovan I suppose because it's long and the protagonist is an orphan for all intents and purposes. But you know I so much prefer Tartt's modern language to Di…moreI suppose because it's long and the protagonist is an orphan for all intents and purposes. But you know I so much prefer Tartt's modern language to Dickens' difficult 19th century language. I could picture everything in The Goldfinch--I felt as though I were there with Theo. I just recently reread the first page of David Copperfield and now I remember why I found it so hard to get into. I could keep rereading those first few paragraphs forever and I'd still be saying, "Huh?" (less)

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