• The Goldfinch

  • By: Donna Tartt
  • Narrated by: David Pittu
  • Length: 32 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (41,256 ratings)

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The Goldfinch

By: Donna Tartt
Narrated by: David Pittu
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Editorial review


By Sam Danis, Audible Editor

THE GOLDFINCH IS A COMING-OF-AGE EPIC THAT WILL STEAL YOUR HE(ART)

The Goldfinch was one of the first novels I listened to when I started working at Audible nearly a decade ago. I joined the team in September, and with this title releasing in a month’s time, I remember what a very big deal it was that a new Donna Tartt book was forthcoming (she only publishes about once a decade, after all). The plot is gripping: During a bombing at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, two events alter the course of 13-year-old Theo Decker’s life. His mother—the most prominent figure in his life—is killed, and he grabs the painting they were there to see (the titular Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius), thereby becoming an accidental art thief. What follows is a coming-of-age story of epic proportions—about fate, loss, consequences, and the intangibility of home and family. It is at turns sentimental, suspenseful, melancholy, and hopeful.

I watched as the glowing reviews poured in, with no real intention to listen myself. A 32-hour audiobook seemed incredibly daunting when I was new to the world of audio entertainment—primarily, a podcast and short audiobook listener. And this, after all, was literary fiction.

Why did I ultimately decide to pick it up? I can’t recall exactly, but I imagine it had something to do with peer pressure. My fellow editors and I influence each other in the best of ways—nobody wants to be the last one to hear something truly amazing—and I think it was our fiction editor, Tricia, who first sung the praises of this one. So, I buckled in (read: put on my headphones) and prepared for whatever was to come.

Continue reading Sam's review >

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)

Featured Article: 10 Great Contemporary Fiction Authors


If you like well-written novels that prioritize compelling timely storylines with artful prose and structure, then this is the genre for you. So, why is it called "contemporary"? Because it’s fiction set in the real world, in times contemporary to the date it was published, and the stories deal with real-world issues. Representing a diversity of backgrounds and nationalities, here are our picks for the best writers of contemporary fiction over the last 50 years.

What listeners say about The Goldfinch

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Listening to this was my best decision ever!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is without a doubt an excellent book. No question. But it was better than I expected because of the fantastic performance of the narrator, David Pittu. His ability to do voices enhanced this experience for me. Thanks to both author and narrator!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Self-indulgent writing and editing

Would you try another book from Donna Tartt and/or David Pittu?

While no doubt brilliant, Donna Tarte tries too hard to show off her deftness. Her descriptions of drug-induced states go on her listening hours, as do her endless descriptions of everything from Las Vegas skies to furniture repair. David Pittu's narration amazed me, though. Clear, dramatic and nuanced. How did he manage?

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Tighter editing would have helped this novel. Every drug scene was not rapturous!

Which scene was your favorite?

The terrorist attack in the museum was riveting as were selected scenes in New York and Amsterdam. Least favorite scenes included repetitive descriptions of drug induced states. After a while, main characters lost my sympathy. Poor boys lost gets old after a while. Nevertheless, there is enough in the novel to have kept me going to the end, which I found satisfying.

Do you think The Goldfinch needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No 32-hour follow-ups, please.

Any additional comments?

My book club had a lot to say about this novel. Opinions differed greatly, which makes this a good read.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing!

Sprawling and beautiful, this book will change your perspective on several aspects of the journey we call life. Tartt is an incredible writer, and Pittu is second to none in his performance. Well worth the time you'll invest.

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Best Story EVER

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

This book is such a great listen! The narrator does an excellent job and is very pleasant to listen to! The story itself kept my anxiety high and me on the edge of my seat! Wish I could listen for the first time all over again! Number 1 on my Top 10 all time books list!!

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Resplendent.

All I can say, having not been this moved by a book in many years,-yet being an avid reader- is that I would not presume to write a review until I read this treasure AGAIN...

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  • TC
  • 04-29-15

Dickens? Yes, but also Gatsby-esque

What did you like best about this story?

Most reviewers assert that Tartt's story is an homage to Dickens and praise its borrowed from GREAT EXPECTATIONS plotline, which I understand and agree with. However, at several points in the story I was struck by a definite GATSBY quality to Tartt's writing. Theo Decker had a certain ethereal similarity to Nick Carraway in their roles as (very unreliable) narrators, and Tartt's language in many passages evoked Fitzgerald.

Have you listened to any of David Pittu’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Many other reviewers were put off by David Pittus' narration, but I felt the Ukrainian accent of Boris and Hobie's deep, pendulous speech added depth.

Any additional comments?

Not recently have I read a book so engrossing that I'm still pondering and analyzing it weeks after I finished reading/listening to it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Great narrator!

Hard to stop listening. Great story with excellent narration. Mr. Pittu performed every character perfectly so not only a great story but entertaining as well.

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Epic!

This is a completely fantastic book! The audio is great & kept me totally engaged through out. Highly recommended for everyone.

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The best novel I've ever read

This is truly the best novel I've ever "read." The story is compelling, the characters relatable, and the artistic beauty of Tartt's writing is captivating beyond words. The narration of the audiobook is also among the top performances I've ever heard. Incredible!

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Loved this book

Why can't all books be this well written?

A wonderful performance by David Pittu - he gave soul to each character and brought them to life.

A beautifully written book. I highly recommend.

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