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)

couldn't put it down

this book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
amazing from start to finish and following the nature of the character from teens to adulthood was emotional

Loved it

This was long and could be a bit slow at times, but worth it. Beautiful story. Beautiful writing. I enjoyed the narration as well.

An amazing and tragic tale

Where does The Goldfinch rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

So far #2. Sorry, Elmore Leonard is a master

Who was your favorite character and why?

Theo. Riveting, strong, and inspiring to follow.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I thought he did pretty well

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Wow, thats a tough one. this book reminded me of 9-11 so i'm going to stay away from that

Still waiting

I'm still wondering what I just listened to although I'm glad I finished. I feel depressed by his continual losses and like I'm hungover from all of the drinking and drugs, and yet I so enjoyed the language and the insight into the world of art and antiquities. I'm left thankful that my own family is stable and intact, but wondering if the characters ever figured out the meaning of life. I think the author still hasn't figured it out after being raised a NYC Catholic (just a guess).

I am intrigued enough to want to read the book in print in the future. Maybe I'll glean the insight I feel I'm missing, although I truly enjoyed the narrator's performance.

A Great Tale - Extremely Entertaining

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Highly recommended - Tartt weaves a tale of tragedy, love and the coming of age with a priceless painting at the center of the drama. The language was beautiful and insights thought provoking. Narration by Pittu is wonderfully entertaining making it one of my all-time favorites.

Couldn't Stop Listening!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Goldfinch to be better than the print version?

I both read and listened to this book. The audio version was even better than the print, which was riveting. Boris is brought to life in the audio in a way I couldn't imagine in print.

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

The conversations between Theo and Boris are so funny, and Theo's relationship with his mentor is profoundly touching.

Which character – as performed by David Pittu – was your favorite?

Boris was my favorite character without a doubt.

Any additional comments?

This is perhaps the best audio book I've listened to. The ending was perfect, but came way too soon (and it's a long book!).

Could Barely Get Through It

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would change the entire story line. This book lacks a believable basis, and takes itself too seriously with lengthy paragraphs and pages describing the perceptions and feelings of a strung-out junkie. Realistically, no one sits around having those kinds of thoughts.

Has The Goldfinch turned you off from other books in this genre?

Yes.

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed the scenes with Boris and Theo in Las Vegas getting drunk and watching movies.

Did The Goldfinch inspire you to do anything?

Not read anything else by Donna Tartt.

Any additional comments?

This book is massively overrated.

Just freaking great, however.....

Where does The Goldfinch rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

this is one of the best audiobooks of ever listen to, this story is engaging and fundamentally exciting.However, you should be aware that this book contains an extensive amount of drug use and some people may find that offensive.

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

In some ways, some of the writing reminds me of Stephen King.Especially, in the way the addiction perception was handled.

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

The voices between the different characters was very distinct.

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

None of them, are not that nice people.

Awesome!

David Pittu does an incredible job reading this book. And the story is an amazing journey.

Disturbing but addicting, beautifully told tragedy

This story made me so uneasy, but I couldn't put it down. Beautifully written and better on audio. The reader brought so much texture and character to the characters. Some parts get very long - too much detail, but after I was into the book I appreciated every word - each sentence has a reason for being.