The Goldfinch

By: Donna Tartt

Narrated by: David Pittu

Length: 32 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Solo Narration - Male, 2014

Audie Award Winner, Literary Fiction, 2014

The author of the classic best-sellers The Secret History and The Little Friend returns with a brilliant, highly anticipated new novel.

Composed with the skills of a master, The Goldfinch is a haunted odyssey through present-day America and a drama of enthralling force and acuity.

It begins with a boy. Theo Decker, a 13-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 is a novel of shocking narrative energy and power. It combines unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and breathtaking suspense, while plumbing with a philosopher's calm the deepest mysteries of love, identity, and art. It is a beautiful, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

©2013 Donna Tartt (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

Narrator David Pittu accepts the task of turning this immense volume into an excellent listening experience. Pittu portrays 13-year-old orphan Theo Decker with compassion, portraying his growing maturity in this story of grief and suspense…Pittu adds pathos to his depiction of the troubled Theo as he deals with addiction and finds himself in a dance with gangsters and the art world's darker dealers. ( AudioFile)

"Dazzling....[A] glorious, Dickensian novel, a novel that pulls together all Ms. Tartt's remarkable storytelling talents into a rapturous, symphonic whole and reminds the reader of the immersive, stay-up-all-night pleasures of reading." ( New York Times)

"A long-awaited, elegant meditation on love, memory, and the haunting power of art....Eloquent and assured, with memorable characters....A standout-and well-worth the wait." ( Kirkus, Starred Review)

Great Start but Falls Short after a Lengthy Tale!

I was intrigued from the start, what a great premise. The story dragged me along willing at the start, until it seemed like I was falling and falling out of the believability of it all. The end was just a babbling of philosophy which I could have done without. Not sure if I would take this adventure again and definitely wouldn't tell anyone to invest their time it. That said part of it was interesting enough for me to see it to the end.

Great Listen!

Any additional comments?

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It had elements that might have been depressing, including a majorly traumatic event, characters with PTSD, depression and substance abuse. I’m not exactly sure why, but I actually found the book to be uplifting. Perhaps it’s because I listened to the audio version. David Pittu did an excellent job of narrating. The story was told in first person and it seemed like the character was talking right to the listeners. Most importantly, I think that it was the way Tartt told the story. There was simplicity to her telling, not giving too much detail or dwelling on the negativity. The action kept moving. The characters, their emotions and reactions were real. Art and antiques flowed throughout the story. I’m glad that I picked up the Audible.com edition when it was on sale, but it would be a great listen at full price.

Hang in there...

Until the last 2 hours of the book my review was going to be much different. This story has a main character that although a lot of tragedy happens to him is nevertheless hard to sympathize with. It is a story about circumstances , choices and consequences. And how our conduct usually determines our fate, but not always.
I had a hard time listening to the alcohol and drug use throughout the book , and I'm no prude. At times it was just too much and not always necessary in order to tell the story.
I was going to quit by the last 4 hours because I just started to hate the main character and the choices he made , but I will say that there is some redemption in the last 2 hours or so.
I'm glad I stuck with it because over all looking back it was a good story. Long but good.

Tedious

I listened to all 20 something hours and finally had to put it on double speed to finish. It actually was better then. Good story that kept me hooked. Some rough subject matter at times.

Terrific novel; great audio performance

If you could sum up The Goldfinch in three words, what would they be?

Best Donna Tartt since The Secret History. Compelling and moving story -- a boy's coming of age in terrible circumstances.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes-- I practically did. I listened every moment I could.

Any additional comments?

The reading on this is a tour de force. Multiple characters, foreign accents, all handled beautifully.

A Masterpiece!

If you could sum up The Goldfinch in three words, what would they be?

Beautiful, haunting and brilliant

What other book might you compare The Goldfinch to and why?

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter because they share a fresh and modern voice and have a rare artistry to convey a haunting realness of the ups and downs of our humanity

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

HIs range and ability to portray the humor heart in dark characters.

If you could take any character from The Goldfinch out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Dinner with Boris would be epic

Beautiful story which makes you think about art

If you like 19th century realism, with it's emphasis on description and emotions, this is it, only contemporary. I enjoyed it.

Deep dive

The performance is so good I found myself actually imagining the different voices of all heroes. As for the story - seems to be a mix of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and something of Burroughs.

Nice surprise

Loved it. A surprise ride through the life of this agreeable character. The road twists and turns and keeps you guessing.

Always kept you guessing

What made the experience of listening to The Goldfinch the most enjoyable?

Just to see the journey and the end place in life of "Potter"

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Goldfinch?

WhenPotter found out is coveted painting was not where he thought it was after many years

What does David Pittu bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think you keep the characters and their personalties much more in focus. You "feel" the personality

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No put I always felt for Potter!

Any additional comments?

Reccomnend for anyone