The Bibliophiliac’s Corner – "The Goldfinch"
Connection writer Amanda Merriman admits she is hopelessly addicted to books. It has been this way nearly all her life. Every month she will share what she has been reading with the hope that others will share in the obsession too.
When it comes to Donna Tartt’s most recent (and Pulitzer Prize winning) book “The Goldfinch”, there exists a starkly divided set of opinions. Most either hate or adore this sweeping novel leaving not many ambiguous feelings in between. In Tartt’s newest work readers will find similarities to themes such as addiction, friendship, and coming of age that she explored previously in her earlier novels. Also like her other works, Tartt stayed true to her process by crafting “The Goldfinch” over the course of a decade.
The Goldfinch is a fictional story told in first person point of view through the voice of the main character, Theo. Theo takes the reader on a journey through his troubled past with an unflinching eye. At the beginning of the novel, Theo’s world is forever altered due to a tragic event that occurs when he was a child that leaves him essentially parentless.
The pain of Theo’s subsequent struggles with grief, guilt, obsession, identity, and love is almost visceral as the tale weaves its way through his coming of age. Surrounding the story of this broken boy is a delicious suspenseful thriller that keeps the at times leisurely plot moving along in the almost 800-page saga. Tartt breathes life into Theo, his fellow characters, and the world they live in. When absorbing “The Goldfinch” the reader senses this and is drawn into the story feeling a whole range of emotions towards its characters such as pity, fondness, annoyance, chagrin, and hope. This story reminds us that humanity is a complicated condition made up of a contrast of strengths and flaws, its composition uniquely expressed in each of us. Take the plunge into Tartt’s most recently created world; you won’t regret it.
Fellow bibliophiles and book club members, feel free to join in the dialogue. Blog your thoughts and feedback at www.castlepinesconnection.com and enter the keyword “bibliophiliac” in the search bar. Have you read a great book recently? Don’t keep that juicy tidbit all to yourself. Email your find to me at amerriman@castlepinesconnection.com.
