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)

Mostly good...

The parts that were good were good, the parts that were bad were excruciating. My main complaint is the laborious storytelling over minor details/plot points. It can feel like you've stumbled into a short story in the middle of a longer book. That being said, the overall narrative is good, the character development is good (cliched, probably, but this isn't supposed to be literature), and it's a very enjoyable listen... but you may get impatient at times for the author to move on to the next bit of substantive storyline.

The author is tremendously talented

This was almost a masterpiece - well researched and craftily constructed. The characters were extraordinarly well-developed. Donna Tartt is gifted. I feel that the book was overly lengthy, however. Some portions of the book were mired down with endless explorations of pain and anguish.

To get on my soap box: It frustrated me that the lead character was so (legitimately) troubled yet never sought therapy for the PTST that regularly tripped him up. As an adult, you need to stop self-medicating and get on with healing. I was particularly irritated with the lead character's dependence on opiates. People with legitimate pain are treated like drug-seekers. Abusers are able to find opiates at every street corner!

Toward the end of the book: In Amsterdam, the character named Boris truly tested my patience. I spent a fair amount of time seriously aggravated with him. And they did not provide enough detail about how Boris retrieved the Goldfinch painting.

I do plan to seek other works by Donna Tartt that I hope are a little bit more upbeat. All things considered, I recommend the book.

Best Narration and book so Far!

Slow start but once past Ch 1 became one of the best books I've listened to in over 100!
As a female I didnt think id like the story from a young boys perspective but the author did such a wonderful job with language and writing that i couldn't put it down. Very Well Written w/ great character building w/ nuances that a movie could never capture. I LOVED this book....and although the narrator was fabulous as others have said, the author was also on par at A+ with her writing that I'm looking for more by not just the narrator but D.Tartt. Great Book and well performed!!!

it just keeps dragging on

I normally stay away from books like this because I don't have the appreciation for long, over descriptive, over expressive, monotone dialogue. But the movie preview looked good so I thought I would give the book a chance....my bad.
I am glad I listened to the audio because I would have given up on the book after about 20 pages.
it got really good about 3/4 thru and then it was just unbearable.
if you like needing to have every little thing adjective it for you, this is your book. If not, wait for the movie.

Outstanding narrator!

The book was long and psychologically deep for my liking. I probably wouldn’t have listened through so many hours but the narration was great. I loved the character of Boris which became my favorite parts of the book. Theo, he exhausted me.

Somewhat philosophical for my taste

Although I enjoyed the story to some degree of Theodore Decker, the entire book was laced with philosophies and deep spiritual thoughts which kind of took away from the story. I realize the author was using those to form the fabric of Theo's personality and life, but I would have preferred a little less of that, especially at the end.

Beautiful

However - at times repetitive, and a bit too soul searching for me from the main character’s perspective. The plot was enchanting and believable. I am very happy to have chosen this book. Loved the narration.

Rich. Powerful. Beautiful.

The characters are brought to life in the most authentic and graceful way. Fell in love with Boris. One of the better books I have listened to in a very long time. Wow, what a treat!

Unbelievably captivating!

Don't let the boring book summary fool you. This book is such a beautiful heart wrenching and exciting story.

Plus the narrator is one of the best, non-annoying narrators on here.

A story about human connections - heart and soul

Would you listen to The Goldfinch again? Why?

Yes, in a few weeks. This story is BIG, I think I will understand it better the next time I listen to it. I cannot stop thinking about it; it caught my heart and both touched me and reassured me, all at the same time.

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

Theo in Amsterdam; waiting for Boris. He was at rock bottom, sick, scared, unable to live without Boris.

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

Boris - both a criminal and Theo's best friend. Boris stole from Theo, used him, completely controlled Theo. Boris also loved Theo, was willing to do anything for him.
This book is really about Boris and Theo, saving each other's lives, their love for each other.

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

Yes. In the days I have listened to this book, freezing cold, snow, friends, family, became distant and unimportant.

Any additional comments?

One of the most important books of my life. It will always be with me.