Book Review: The Goldfinch by, Donna Tartt

In today's video I'll be reviewing The Goldfinch by, Donna Tartt.
The Goldfinch Written Review: / c5l71yrr02k
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IG: / alana_estelle

[@marichristian]

The answer is yes!!!

[@evaphillips2102]

If you like this book then you’ll love White Oleander by Janet Fitch. Similar themes: grief, childhood PTSD, substance use, and art loving people. The main difference is the main character, Astrid, her main source of trauma and mourning happens because her mother, Ingrid, is in jail for offing her ex-boyfriend, so Astrid has to spend the remainder of her childhood in the foster care system.

[@alanaestelle2076]

@@evaphillips2102 oooooooh good to know! Thanks for the rec!

[@sherribugd3799]

Yeah. The Vegas portion gets ya lol. I like the antique shop portion quite a bit. The old guy sort of feels a bit like Ms Havisham to me.

[@alanaestelle2076]

MS. HAVISHAM!! YES!!!!

[@BookishTexan]

Great review! I think the Las Vegas section is intended to represent the sleek, new, disposable world that Theo dislikes. I was surprised to learn this year that the artist who painted The Goldfinch died in an explosion. Which seems to also feed into the idea of the destruction of the old and the attempt to preserve what is left.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Really good point about the Vegas section - I think you’re spot on. Ooooh I didn’t know that about the painter!

[@jamesduggan7200]

There ought to be a law stating that in any novel with a character named Boris it is required to have another character named Natasha.

[@sherribugd3799]

😂😂😂

[@alanaestelle2076]

HAHAHAH! This needs to be an international law.

[@kurtfox4944]

Rocky and Bullwinkle rule! I always thought it was set in Canada (due to Dudley Dooright), but I find that it is in Frostbite Falls, MN. As a kid, I did not like Rocket J . Squirrel, but I always loved Bullwinkle.

[@jamesduggan7200]

@@kurtfox4944 Yes, Minneota, but as I understand it every now and then the border is just an east-west path between trees and rocks.

[@cathyg.9996]

Great review! I loved The Goldfinch and was so invested in Theo and his story. It reminds me of Demon Copperhead and his struggles also. Both novels have very similar themes. I love Donna Tartt’s writing and am anxiously awaiting her next novel. I have not heard a single thing about a new novel.

[@alanaestelle2076]

YES! Demon Copperhead is MY JAM! we def need a new Tartt novel!

[@marytumulty4257]

I enjoyed this review, Alana. Thank you. Many of your observations are in sync with some of mine in reaction to the novel. What I enjoyed about this book was delving into so many of the allusions and metaphors Tartt included in her prose. “Hobie” the antique restorer who offers Theo refuge is named after a brand of sailboats/kayaks. So an obvious link to all the attention Tartt gives to the carved Noah’s ark. As readers we learn Theo is safe within Hobie’s ark. And, so it goes. I think the editing could have been tighter. I, like you and so many readers agree the Nevada episode got tedious. (Maybe a biblical reference to wandering in the desert?) Also, I thought the section in which Theo is in Amsterdam got quite chaotic. It seems as if Tartt created a whirlwind of events from which she was finding it difficult to write an escape. I won’t be rereading The Goldfinch but I would recommend it as a book club pick because it can be a source for generating lively discussions.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thanks for watching! Oooooh love this connection about Hobie! Yes, this could have definitely used tighter editing.

[@paigem7048]

I'm currently reading this and I'm 40% of the way through. I'm enjoying it quite a bit but similarly to you, I dropped it about 2 years ago because I just got sick of reading about Theo and Boris throwing up and drinking all the time lol

[@alanaestelle2076]

LOOOL! Omg the Vegas part is too repetitive 🤣

[@taravincent9699]

I think it is just over 10years since Donna Tartt released The Goldfinch. I can’t wait for her next book. I loved The Secret History and I loved The Goldfinch. And I too, DNF’d it several years back because it wasn’t the right time for me. I picked it up after loving Demon Copperhead so much and wanted another similar read. Maybe I should read David Copperfield now.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Oooooh yes! This has some similarities to Demon Cooperhead!

[@janethansen9612]

I really must re read The Goldfinch. I read it years ago and enjoyed it, but I would bet that on a second reading it would be even better.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Love rereading 🙌🏼

[@aprilg3193]

I DNF’d this book twice. It just wasn’t for me. I think I finally donated it a while back.

[@nikkivenable73]

I DNF'd it the first time, tried it again 2 yrs later and gave it 4 *. But I wonder, still, if that is too high. It's more like a 3. Edit: forgot to add that I donated my copy. I never donate 4 * books, so yeah, this was not a 4*

[@alanaestelle2076]

I totally see why people DNF this book lol

[@martasoltys9091]

I like watching you process things such as getting up at 5 a.m. (or not). It's fun to watch you process the changes you're considering making. If you want to get up early you should spend some time at an Ashram, which leads me to ask for you to (one day) review EAT PRAY LOVE. You'll probably hate it. I didn't hate it. I loved it; it changed my life but it is a lot of whining which you won't put up with. However, she doesn't just whine; she actually changes her life, as hard as that is in reality. She goes from wanting to commit suicide to living a fulfilling life. Great review BTW. I still haven't read any Donna Tart. The Secret History is my friend's favourite book of all time, but I'm stuck on The Invisible Life of Addie Larue for the last two months (amongst bonds, stocks and other market value lessons).

[@alanaestelle2076]

LOL! This processing is just a snippet of what I deal with in my head 24/7 🤣 hahaha you know how I feel about whining 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I really need to reread The Secret History 🤌🏼

[@martasoltys9091]

@@alanaestelle2076 Well, I've stopped rereading books for the time being. I've decided to switch careers and it's been... AN AWAKENING. I mean... I know I can always go back to teaching but I've invested so much time and money into changing that it'd be stupid to give up now. Why I say this is b/c I feel you when you say you've got no time to read. I really do. I did pick up my first book in two months, GO ASK ALICE by Anonymous. Man. Thin volume but potent. Read what you want, but EAT PRAY LOVE really did change my life. Even if she whines in the beginning. I get it. I've now experienced that feeling of total wreckage of an adult relationship (into which you've invested time and yourself) and the emptiness that can bring.

[@martasoltys9091]

@@alanaestelle2076 EAT PRAY LOVE is surprising. It inspired me to move to Europe permanently (for a while anyway). One day maybe (when or if you're ever flooded with regrets) you'll be into it.

[@kurtfox4944]

I am in that middle crowd: didn't love or hate it. What kept me reading was it was well-written in some parts. Parts of this I loved, parts I hated, some parts were page turning and minutes flew by, others were like watching grass grow. The book has a lot to say and covers a lot of ground; too much in fact. Why cite one or two examples when 6 or 9 will show off your knowledge (or research)? And why do it once in the book when you can do it at every turn, EVERY TIME. And, that is what it makes it droll and boring and tedious and VERY overlong at parts. It has an interesting message, but the book tries to be all things to all people... mostly. The author seems to be trying to impress that she knows so much about high society and capital G Glamor. In terms of pomposity, arrogance and glamor, it's tedious, like a modern day retelling of Madame Bovary. The pedantic knowledge on every subject in humanity comes from a binge-drinking, drug-crazy teen just stretches believability well past the snapping point. I found it hard to believe that this was a Pulitzer nominee, much less a winner. I gave it 3.5/5 stars but rounded down.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Tartt had been called pretentious by some readers - especially for The Secret History. I do think that the Pulitzer is too generous for this narrative, even though I enjoyed it overall.