The Goldfinch

A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

By: Donna Tartt

Narrated by: David Pittu

A young New Yorker grieving his mother's death is pulled into a gritty underworld of art and wealth in this “extraordinary” and beloved novel that "connects with the heart as well as the mind" (Stephen King, New York Times Book Review), named a New York Times Best Book of the 21st Century.

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 a longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into a wealthy and insular art community.

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 mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention. From the streets of New York to the dark corners of the art underworld, this "soaring masterpiece" examines the devastating impact of grief and the ruthless machinations of fate (Ron Charles, Washington Post).

A stunning achievement - for author and narrator

No question, this will be on my "favorite books of the year" list - and very near the top. Tartt examines some very big topics - love, loss, death, life, forgiveness, redemption and addiction - and she does so with a skill that's secondary to none.

The main characters are BIG - in personality, flaws, strengths - and enormously engaging. I adored Theo, Boris and Hobie and have loved having them live at my house while I was listening. There's a sense of loss now that they're gone.

I've read some harsh reviews of the narrator and I don't understand that. I thought he was perfect for this book. It was a fresh take. His interpretation of both Boris and Hobie was delightful. I never would have imagined those voices if I'd read this in print. It was an added dimension that made it all the more enjoyable.

With more than 30 hours of engaging story, this is one of the most credit-worthy books around. Really, what could be better? It's a good long listen that's beautifully read. I wish they were always this good.

A modern-day "Great Expectations" of sorts.

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

The narrator gives life to the main character. His voice is both innocent and worldly.

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

Great Expectations

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

Theo Decker the main character is a tragic hero, but the reader cannot help but identify with his foibles.

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

I would love to have Boris as a dinner companion because of his voracious and indomitable appetite for life.

Any additional comments?

I am still thinking about the book, and it has been a week since I finished it. It is one of those rare books one considers a companion. It left me thinking about deeper questions of life.

Just finished this book in about four days!!!

This is one of the BEST books I have read in a long time. One so compelling and transcending that it had me thinking about the book long after it's finish. It is a scope of writing that encompasses so much it's sometimes hard to wrap your head around everything. It is the human condition incarnate.

Wonderful book, not-so-wonderful reader

Would you listen to The Goldfinch again? Why?

No -- I'm halfway through the first part, and completely hooked on the story. The narration, not so much.

What did you like best about this story?

It evokes New York City, and the Metropolitan Museum, perfectly. The main character is a winner, perfectly rendered, fascinating, heartbreaking. And I've just made the acquaintance of the Barbours, can't wait to get to know them better.

What didn’t you like about David Pittu’s performance?

I really don't like the breathless, avid narration, striving to convey emotion with every line, every word. That sort of reading is fine for dialogue, to act out the characters and give them distinct voices and life. But the descriptive passages, the narration, the action, all that requires a more neutral tone. I understand what Mr. Pittu is trying to do; the novel is written in the first person, and his narration is an attempt to treat all the text as if it were actually being spoken. The effect is distracting and annoying, and I find myself listening to the narration rather than getting lost in the story. I don't know if I'll stick with this or not. I may just have to get the book and read it.

Stellar. Tartt worthy of Dickens comparisons!

I finished this a few days after the release. I always let the good ones settle into my psyche to assess whether I was swept away in the moment or this really was an excellent novel. Here, definitely, it's the latter.

Donna Tartt shatters the world of an impressionable kid then shakes: forcing him to live with a ne'er do well dad, giving him a most memorable pal (one of the best drawn supporting characters in recent memory), an unrequited love, an adopted family, the symbolic Dutch painting of the chained "Goldfinch," and creating significant roles in the polar opposites of the burgeoning and boisterous NYC and the desolate, belly-busted subdivision developments outside Las Vegas; and, finally, sending our hero on a suspenseful quasi-odyssey to Holland. She finely closed the circle on one of the most unforgettable and Dickensian in modern memory (moreso than Owen Meany, in my opinion).

Like I said, Stellar!