Sorry, I haven’t posted anything in a while but I wanted to take some time to catch up on my reading before I reviewed another book. I bought Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch last year and this is the first opportunity I have had to actually read the whole thing. It is a longer book but it is still worth it. Since reading The Secret History, I have been looking forward to reading more of Tartt’s novels. Now, I will review The Goldfinch for you.

When Theo Decker was thirteen years old, he survives an explosion in an art museum that unfortunately takes his beloved mother from him. He finds himself uprooted with only a small painting he recovered from the wreckage and the last words of a dying old man that lead him to his new mentor. In his adult life, Theo spends his life with antiques and is captivated by the same painting that eventually leads him to a dangerous circle.

Tartt’s ability to blend the modern world with the beauty of Dutch art makes this novel an elegant but relatable read. Her descriptions and characterizations are poetic. The characters feel as though they could walk off the page. Tartt doesn’t hold back in her exploration of human emotions as she connects Theo’s story with the stories of the Dutch artists. You don’t have to be an art expert to enjoy this book. The Goldfinch is a tragedy, romance, and mystery all wrapped up in the clean bow of Tartt’s eloquence and honesty.