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)

Compelling!!

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

Probably number 2

Who was your favorite character and why?

BORIS!!! His voice is so consistent, so mercurial, and such a delightful foil to "Potter's" American, conventionally moral voice.

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

Top drawer. I think his female voices could be less breathy, but otherwise, excellent.

Who was the most memorable character of The Goldfinch and why?

BORIS, see above

Any additional comments?

Several critics were very disappointed with this novel and gave good reasons for their views. However, I loved the ambiguous sense of time, the fairy tale character of it, and the obvious references to Dickens. The plot never quit!!

How does she write so convincingly about drug use? :)

Great story and amazing narration!

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

Yes, with the major caveat that I have not read the print version. The narration is amazing and absolutely added to the book and the listening experience.

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

No, but I will seek him out from now on.

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

Yes (but it's way too long for that). I found myself sitting on the couch listening to the book for much longer than I anticipated, not turning on the TV and choosing instead to keep listening.

Great for adult readers--don't make students read this

Word choice, vivid description, and allusions. Pretty certain most high school students won't enjoy this read but wouldn't be surprised to learn that teachers are assigning as required reading😟

Well performed and written, very enjoyable

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

One of the top ten aubiobooks that I have listened to.

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

Ms. Tartt's portrayal of the hopelessness of a childhood adrift in the no man's land of suburban Las Vegas is poignant. The world created by Ms. Tartt is vivid and inhabited by complex characters brought to life in full human dimension. A plausible glimpse into the underworld of art theft, the desperate lives of unwanted street kids, and the transformative power of art. Well worth the time.

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

The versatility of David Pittu’s narration, with his range of accents and voice tone, does this sprawling book the justice it deserves.

Loved this book!

Any additional comments?

What a captivating, beautifully morose book (yes, beautiful and morose go together in this case)! I loved it. I struggled through the first couple chapters but then I couldn't put it down.

I loved that the author took me through so many stages of the main characters life. In each stage, it was almost as if the he was trying to be someone different and yet none of those 'people' were really who he was. I found myself wrapped up in his fear, loss, and need to belong to something or someone throughout the book.

This is certainly not a 'happily ever after' type of book. Personally, I would explain it as reality-based. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes its not fair. While this book definitely has philosophical underpinnings, the plot was so magnetic that it wasn't a 'heavy' read at all. It really kept my attention.

Wonderful story beautifully narrated.

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

I liked the audio version so much that I bought the print version just to have it in my lending library.

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

It was a page-turner the likes of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, but where that one was a guilty pleasure, this one is literature at its best.

Which scene was your favorite?

Almost any scenes with Boris.

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

It completely captivated me. I have recommended it to many people and induced my book club to choose it. Despite many of the members being reluctant to read any book longer than around 300 pages, everybody loved THE GOLDFINCH. No complaints about it except that it kept people awake far into the night because they couldn't put it down.

Not sure I get the hype

Well written but more verbose in many parts than needed. Adult "voice" and descriptions of a child's mind did not track well with me in the early part of the book.
Slogging through the mire to get the rare gems was a bit unrewarding.

Wonderful story but you have to be patient.

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

Yes. It's a long book so a good value. The story is sweeping and takes a boy through the hardships of his life. You get to know him so well that you become involved with him.

What did you like best about this story?

The language. The writer's masterful language is, at times, breathtaking.

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

His voices and narration were not interfering.

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

The protagonist, Theo Decker at about the age of 15-16.

Any additional comments?

It's a modern "Catcher in the Rye".

Wonderful story, brilliantly narrated.

This is a beautifully written novel. The narrator brings each character to life brilliantly. From the very beginning I was hooked and it kept my interest right to the end. Don't miss this one!

What an Author!

Such an amazing talent. When I first saw how long this book was, I admit I hesitated. But it was an incredible journey and I enjoyed every minute. The story was great but the skill with the description of everything-- the story, the characters, the surroundings.....wonderful.