The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt -- Restarting July 16th 2025

[Irena BookDustMagic]

It begins with a boy. Theo Decker, a thirteen-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 his unbearable longing for his mother, he clings to one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.

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 combines vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and suspense, while plumbing with a philosopher's calm the deepest mysteries of love, identity, and art. It is an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Lindsey and I will be reading this from January 10th on.
Everyone, feel free to join us! :)

[Gillian]

Chapter 18 interesting story so far (view spoiler)[ i do not trust the father at all he woulds like he is just after what ever he can get i hope he does not take Theo home with him :( (hide spoiler)]

[Irena BookDustMagic]

I will start it today because I had some books I had to read for blog tours.

[Brooke]

7%
(view spoiler)[ that art exhibit was weirddd. I am sad we started out with a death, especially his mothers! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

23%
(view spoiler)[ there is a lot of rambling going on. his dad is a deadbeat. Seriously, take care of your son. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

27%
(view spoiler)[ moving to Vegas! feels like a bad idea. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

30%
(view spoiler)[ i like boris! He's a riot. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

40%
(view spoiler)[ drugs really.. Well i knew i didn't like his dad's GF. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

47%
(view spoiler)[ glad we got rid of boris, he turned bad quick (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

58%
(view spoiler)[ art dealer now. Good job for this kid since he's obsessed with that painting... (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

68%
(view spoiler)[ boris is back! Can't wait to see how he messes this up! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

83%
(view spoiler)[ got our painting back! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

90%
(view spoiler)[ So is Boris dead or what. and what is happening to our MC?! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Ending Thoughts
(view spoiler)[ I really have no clue what this book was supposed to be about. I would saying it's a coming of age novel, but really he got worse as he aged so no. Um. It was interesting, i'll give it that. (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[ Vegas at last!!!!!! the story is interesting but very slow not much really happens apart form the death of the mother at the very start and the theft of the painting the rest is just filler :( (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

Part 2 Chapter 14 (view spoiler)[ I didn't not expect the father to be killed just as he was getting found out for trying to get hi sons money the get rid of him. Now Boris is out of the scene as Theo admits to himself that he is in love with him. (hide spoiler)]

[Gillian]

Brooke wrote: "Ending Thoughts
[spoilers removed]"

Finished and i would have to agree with your comment I'm still not totally sure what it was about. Was it to live life to the fullest as its the only one you get? or Stay away from drugs as they can stuff up you life so much you don't know what you are doing half the time? I'm just totally confused lol

[Irena BookDustMagic]

Hey girls, I know I've been invisible this whole month and I just wanted to let you know that I am in a reading slump and that is why I didn't read with you even though I should have to.
I am sorry.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

Date Changed. Restarting June 13th 2017. Happy Reading ☺

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
*********************************************************************************************************************************************

[Kirsty]

21% (view spoiler)[ It's a bit of a slow start but so far I am finding the story interesting. I think it is going to take a while to finish due to the length of the book but I am hoping that the pacing will pick up. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

********************************************************************************************************************************************

Reading from the 1st of September 2017

********************************************************************************************************************************************

[Abby]

Can't remember who I'm reading this with, but can we push it a bit? I will probably get it on the 15th due to a library wait and that'll be too late for the BR.

[Jenn]

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Date changed. Restarting July 16th 2025. Happy Reading ☺

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

[Andrew]

I'm going to start it now, but I'm such a slow reader anyone else who takes part will overtake me easily, lol.

[Gohnar23]

Oh its okayyyyyyy: (starting now) read at your own pace! I mean this is a pretty LONGGGGG book

[Shae]

Gohnar23 wrote: "Oh its okayyyyyyy: (starting now) read at your own pace! I mean this is a pretty LONGGGGG book"

Yes I have so many books to read, I still have to read dangerous girls that we had planned and you’ve finished haha

[Gohnar23]

oh that 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅 its really good thooooo

[Shae]

Gohnar23 wrote: "oh that 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅 its really good thooooo"

Haha I will get there

[Gohnar23]

good luck 🤞👍🤞🤞👍🤞🤞👍🤞👍🤞

[Gohnar23]

i am REALLLLLY starting now...like really real real, now

[Gohnar23]

CHAPTER: 1:

(view spoiler)[so in this part we are just introduced to all the characters that... Visited the museum. It is also pretty interesting that it talks about small little crushes that someone can have. Especially one that just happens in first sight. Its a common occurrence but i loved how this portrayed it in a casual but deep way. (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 2:

(view spoiler)[oh that is.....very heartbreaking.. your little worry that mom might not get home—ACTUALLY HAPPENED?? Devastating truly. I really appreciated how much realistic and heartfelt the writing style is with this book. Its greatly written! (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch ³

(view spoiler)[Awhhh 😭, the family that Theo is adopted to is such a nice and wholesome family! I see all the four siblings having a great time with Theo. But Tom as his school friend avoiding him is melancholic and saddening, I wonder what happened between them. (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Chapter 4;

(view spoiler)[the most memorable part of this chapter is the introduction of Hobie, i love that he acts like a sort of father figure to Theo and also shares and connects his business partner which is Welty who also died in that bombing... Who is also related to pippa! All the characters here are connected in such interesting ways and all the characters have reasons for being with Theo's journey 🫶 (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 5:


(view spoiler)[He's getting more mature now 🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲 im so proud. He even now tkaes accountability in hir relationship with Xandra and his caring towards his foster parents, what a way to get back to their kindness 🥲🥲. He also does a job now with Jose. He also now as a new friend named Boris! Boris even calls him "Potter" 😭😭 so cutee (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Boris Appreciation Message:


(view spoiler)[I LOVE YOU BORISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. HE'S LIKE CONSISTENTLY ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS AND REALISTIC CHARACTER EVER. EVEN THOUGH HIS PAST IS PRETTY DARK HE'S STILL PRETTY SILLY AED OPTIMISTICCCCCCCC (MINUS THE OCCASIONAL SUICIDE THREATS). I HOPE HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY DIE ON THE NEXT FEW PARTS OF THE BOOK I STILL WANT HIM HEREEEEE. HE'S JUST SO FUN & SILLY :3333

BORIS X THEO ANYONE????? THE FRIENDS TO LOVERS ARE FRIENDS TO LOVERING RIGHT NOW ESPECIALLY IN CHAPTER 6 (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 6

(view spoiler)[i refuse to believe that this isn't basically a romance between Theo and Boris. They're absolutely PERFECT for each other and thes chapter just cements it. (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch7

(view spoiler)[Boris is suspiciously absent in this chapter 😠😠😠😠 (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 8

(view spoiler)[so theyre mostly talking about the shop now 😭😭😭😭 BORISSSSSSSSSSSS (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 9

(view spoiler)[Reese is pretty interesting comes to being the one who is very much interested in getting the painting...anyways thats it, still no Boris :(( (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 10

(view spoiler)[ So we have one of the longest chapters ever in this book (by far). I mean he improved his relationship with Kit and we get to learn more about her.

BORISS??!?!?!?!?!? GAIS, BORIS IS BACK!!!!!!!

(hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 11:

(view spoiler)[so far now uhh, nothing really big is happening. But my baby boy Boris is still there :DDDDDDDDDDDDD. Also now featuring Gyuri and he's pretty cool i guess. Props for Theo and Boris for surviving & escaping that place (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Ch 12 aka finished:

(view spoiler)[his suicide attempt failed AND AFTER THAT BORIS SAVED THE DAY!!!!!! WELL EY AT LEAST HE LEARNED HIS LESSON AND THE GOLDFINCH PAINTING IS FINALLY KNOWN AND SEVERAL OTHER MASTERPIECES... THIS WAS SUCH A GREAT STORYYYYYY (hide spoiler)]