Nenia Campbell 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?

Nenia Campbell I called it Dickensian in my review because of the way that Tartt explores the underpinnings of the various classes in the U.S. Dickens wrote on the w…moreI called it Dickensian in my review because of the way that Tartt explores the underpinnings of the various classes in the U.S. Dickens wrote on the wealthy, the poor, the young, the old, men, women, children. He wrote about cruelty and kindness, and sometimes the two sorts of acts were committed by the same person. The characters in The Goldfinch are flawed, but their flaws make them seem more human. I think the existential aspects of Tartt's writing will make this a book people can still relate to centuries from now, just as we can with Dickens now. Both authors, in my opinion, manage to capture the triumph of the human spirit. :)(less)

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Bob Cowling Can you elaborate on which characters you think triumph? I got the opposite feeling from the novel - in fact one of Boris's final points was that it r ...more
Jan 29, 2015 03:39PM

Nenia Campbell "Triumph of the human spirit" doesn't necessarily mean that the characters exhibiting it actually triumph. It just means that they have the traits and ...more
May 17, 2015 09:03AM

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