Our Novel Escape discussion

A few of us are going to read The Goldfinch from May 10 to July 12. Here is a break-down of our planned reading/discussion schedule:

Part I (chapters 1-4) -- May 10 to 17
Part II (chapters 5 and 6) -- May 17 to 31
Part III (chapters 7 and 8) -- May 31 to June 14
Part IV (chapters 9 and 10) -- June 14 to June 28
Part V (chapters 11 and 12) -- June 28 to July 12

We can use the suggested Q&A format that I have in the introduction post about Buddy Reads or we can just ask questions as we go, whatever you all wish to do! Hope to see some discussion in this thread when the buddy reading starts.

Buddy Read Generic Questions to Consider.

Note: Feel free to answer as few or as many of these as you read along. Feel free to expand on them or come up with your own as you go. Buddy Reads are for everyone to enjoy!

1. What did you think of the author's writing style?

2. Would you read anything by this author again? Or, Have you read anything by this author before? If so, what?

3. Who was your favorite character and why?

4. Who was your least favorite character and why?

5. What did you think of the setting? Is it the type of setting you usually like or one you usually dislike?

6. Was there anything that surprised you about the story/book?

7. What did you think of the ending? Would you have ended it differently or the same?

8. What will you rate the book?

9. Would you recommend this book or author to friends?

Here is a link to the page on Frick Museum (New York) in New York, for a picture of the painting, The Goldfinch, and a description.

http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/maur...

In preparation for our March 1st start, here's the breakdown of the chapters in Part I.

Spoiler Alert! Please only include spoilers for the section currently under discussion -- Part I only!

Chapter 1 Boy With a Skull
Chapter 2 Anatomy Lesson
Chapter 3 Park Avenue
Chapter 4 Morphine Lollipop

Thanks, Donna! Do you want to be the Buddy Read discussion leader for this?

OK with me, Teresa. Will try to keep us reading on schedule and moving along in the discussion. I'm so looking forward to reading this since I've seen a lot of good comments about it. Looks like so far it's just you, me and Sandra. Hope others will be inspired to join in too. The more the merrier!

well I'm excited I hope the book comes in soon for me. Waiting for it at the library. Alot of people want to read it at my library

have you started reading this book anyone. I'm dying to see what people think of this book.

I'm on page 81, which is about 10%. I like it so far. Don't feel I'm far enough in to make any useful comments yet though. And I plan to wait with any spoilers until the end of this chunk anyway, so I don't spill the beans on this first section for anyone else.

Hope you'll join in on our buddy read, Zara!?! Just as a reminder, this is a spoiler thread, so spoilers will NOT be hidden here. Has anyone else started reading yet? Hope you were able to get it from your library, Sandra. :)

still on hold of the library. there are so many people wanting this book i don't know when I will get it.

I just read that the producers of The Hunger Games movies have acquired the rights to The Goldfinch for a possible tv mini series. It's still possible that a movie could be made instead . I'm excited and worried . Love this book so much and wouldn't want a movie adaptation to spoil it !

This was my favorite book of last year and may be my all time favorite. I loved the detailed, descriptive writing and I felt as if I was at the museum, in Hobie's shop and in Las Vegas with Theo.
I would highly recommend this book . My favorite characters besides Theo are Hobie and Boris because they were always there for Theo.

I will post my review later in the discussion as there may be a slight spoiler.

I think our discussion is temporarily on hold(?) Since this book is very popular, waiting lists at the libraries are long right now.

I'm going to continue reading, but I'll hold off on posting any spoilers until others have started reading too.

Thanks for your spurring us on, Angela! Glad you have such positive comments about the book. I'm really enjoying it too so far. I'm sure once the discussion begins we'll each have very interesting opinions to share here.

Donna ,
Glad you are enjoying it . Looking forward to further discussion.

Hi, everyone. I know some are still on the waitlist at the library, so we'll continue to keep this buddy read "on hold". Please let us know when you've gotten your copy so we can update the reading schedule and start in on our discussion. : )

We can extend this even later than May. We'll figure out an end date later. I haven't had a chance to read this yet, either.

I am loving this book!!! But I also would like time extended because I am trying to get my taxes done. I
would rather be reading!!!

I've just learned that The Goldfinch has won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction! Here a link to USA Today's article announcing the award: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/20...

Congratulations to author, Donna Tartt!

Reminder, please post here to let us know when you have gotten hold of your copy of the book, so we can schedule the re-start of our buddy read.

This book is at my library I am going to get it tonight

I just read some of the reviews and I think I want to read this book too. I will try to aquire it asap.

Looks like we may be able to re-start soon, since the book has become available to more people now. Yay!

How about we start up again on Saturday, May 10th? This would give a little extra time for anyone who has not yet gotten their copy. Or we can wait until the summer, if that would work better for everyone. Please let me know your preference. :)

Zara wrote: "have you started reading this book anyone. I'm dying to see what people think of this book."

I just ordered this book from Amazon - I don't think it will be available at my library anytime soon, since it won a Pulitzer. Can hardly wait to start it - I think my 20 year old son would like it too, so I ordered the hardcover version instead of downloading it.

Donna wrote: "Looks like we may be able to re-start soon, since the book has become available to more people now. Yay!

How about we start up again on Saturday, May 10th? This would give a little extra time for..."

May 10th sounds perfect to me!

Whatever date you all decide on, I'll change the chapter schedule accordingly in the first post here!

Of course, Amy! The more the merrier! Just please mark spoilers if you reveal anything spoiler-y, thanks!

Looks like May 10th will be our new start date. Teresa, would you please update the reading/discussion section in the first post for us?

Glad you will be joining us, Amy! :)

Sure thing, Donna! We'll see if I can get this book in time to read it along. I have so many chunksters already lined up for May!

I know how you feel, Teresa... So many books, so little time!

I'm interested to see what everyone thinks of . I read it earlier this year in another book club, and the reviews were very mixed. For the most part, it seemed like everyone loved or hated it, there were not many moderate reviews.

I am planning to read this book as well so I will join the discussion next week. I am looking forward to it as I just reread "The Secret History" and enjoyed it so much.

1. I liked Tartt's writing style. She "painted" vivid pictures with her word. The lack of punctuation made you pause and think and go back to make sure you had the correct meaning or image from what she wrote. I also like how she put so many clues and references as an invitation to extend your reading experience by comparing it to other works.

2. I have not read any of her previous books. I am now interested in reading them because this book convinced me that she is a gifted author.

3. Hobie was my favorite character. I liked his dependability and kindness. I liked that he was devoted to his work. He genuinely cared for Theo and did what he could to heal him. Hobie is the definition of home, comfort, and warmth.

I read this book earlier this year. It is my favorite so far.

1. I loved Tartt's style. She is very detailed in her writing. You can feel the Nevada climate, smell the city streets of New York and Hobie's shop is very vivid in my head.

2. I haven't read any of her previous books, but they are all on my TBR now.

3. I think Hobie is my favorite character also. How could you not love Hobie? He is the epitome of good.

4. My least favorite character was Theo's father. I won't say he was the epitome of evil, but a very selfish, unloving, messed up person.

9. I recommend this book to every reader I know. I think there is a little something for every reader. Maybe science fiction is the exception, but Boris was a little alien!

Just a quick reminder --

We're reading this book as a "chunkster read." For those who have read ahead, or even finished the book, please limit your comments to include spoilers ONLY for the first chunk of the book:

Part I (chapters 1-4) -- May 10 to 17

Chapter 1 Boy With a Skull
Chapter 2 Anatomy Lesson
Chapter 3 Park Avenue
Chapter 4 Morphine Lollipop

That way, hopefully, those who haven't read ahead won't be exposed to info/characters/events from later on in the story. Much appreciated!

I Hope you all enjoy this book. I did NOT, nor did my mother. It was actually a chore for me to get through, and I kept thinking that it would get better. When I finally finished it. I wished I could get back the time I spent reading it. I still cannot believe it was one of amazon's best of 2013.

I started reading this week. So far I love it! But I am a fan of Donna Tartt's writing. For some I believe it could be overly wordy but I like to know a character's deepest thoughts and feelings so for me it is a pleasure to read.

I found it totally engrossing, even though I didn't care for her other book, The Secret History. There is some difficult subject matter in this book, but I really felt like I was there in this first part. The confusion and surreal nature of Theo's experience after the explosion was well portrayed. I also thought she did a good job of showing the conflicting feelings Theo experiencs afterwards. The Park Avenue family is not exactly warm or welcoming yet he wants to belong.

When he goes to the antique shop, it is like entering a fairy tale castle that has been shut off from the world, and Pippa is the Sleeping Beauty locked inside.

My favorite character is definitely Boris who doesn't appear until later in the book.

My feelings for The Goldfinch are very similar to Robin's. I also read The Secret History, which I liked. The Goldfinch starts so well. Really gripping at the start. I noticed the number of times the word gold is mentioned, in all different contexts.

I read The Goldfinch last fall and it is my current favorite book. I have not read any other book by Donna Tartt but I do have her others on my to read list.

I absolutely loved her detailed, descriptive writing which took me where ever Theo was. I first read this on my kindle , which is my preferred way to read. To let you know how much I love this book, today I went to Barnes and Noble and spent a birthday gift card on the hard bound version. I think this is such an important book, that I wanted to have in my hands a first edition copy when I reread it.
Hobie and Boris , next to Theo are my favorites.

I'll post my review when the discussion is further along.

I started reading this book, which I am planning to give to my son when I am done, on Mothers Day and just thought "Wow, how appropriate!"
The protagonist was going on and on about how much his mother meant to him and how different he thought his life would have turned out if she had lived.

I am curious to see if you still feel the same at the end of the book Terry. I wonder how old your son is. Any son who could gladly read such a long book is a rare bird indeed (pun intended). Enjoy!

First I enjoyed meeting Theo and his mother in their everyday life. The author sets a tone of calm and describes a predictable sort of life that the two of them live. The fact that Theo is quite attached to his mother is established so when things change you understand what he must feel.
Of course, the storyline is surprising within the first few chapters. The narrator keeps mentioning that his mother dies but you expect perhaps a car accident or something more commonplace than what does occur. The author’s rendering of the entire scene and how Theo notices the man and the girl and his own recovery from the event are very vivid. I was drawn in quickly and wanted to follow Theo everywhere he went.

Candy ,
I felt the same way you did . The descriptive writing is amazing and you really feel as if you are there. I found thus particularly true in the aftermath of the explosion .
One of the main criticisms of the book has been the detail and the length . For me the detailed descriptions are one of the things I enjoyed most about it because I felt I was there .

Yes, I also loved the detail. I rarely get excited about short stories, novellas and other short works, because I feel there isn't enough to them. Of course I love the Victorians who used plenty of words and detail. When I was reading reviews of this book, several said it was "Dickensian" so I thought it was a historical novel. Even when it started out in the present, I thought maybe there was going to be a historical part about the painter. Then I wondered if The Goldfinch even is a real painting - it is, you can search it on the internet.

Hi Robin. I had to smile when you mentioned "Dickensian"-which is not neccessarily a bad thing in my opinion! I have had people tell me to shorten my sentences since I love all that detail so much!

Robin wrote: "Yes, I also loved the detail. I rarely get excited about short stories, novellas and other short works, because I feel there isn't enough to them. Of course I love the Victorians who used plenty of..."

Yes, it is a real painting, Robin -- see my post early in this thread (message #3) with a link to the page on the Frick Museum (NY) website describing the piece.

Deborah wrote: "I am curious to see if you still feel the same at the end of the book Terry. I wonder how old your son is. Any son who could gladly read such a long book is a rare bird indeed (pun intended). Enjoy!"

Hi Deborah,
My son is 20 years old and has always read. Depending on his mood, he can read thicker books, faster tham me. He likes esoteric, stream of conscious books and seems to absorb and remember a lot more detail than I can, so it is fun to discusss with him.

Wow. Lucky you! I've already finished The Goldfinch so i'll wait to hear your thoughts...

I feel very drawn to to Theo, I guess because my own son is named Theodore and I used to take him all around New York City when he younger and had a day off from school. He would come to work with me and I would take a 1/2 day off at lunchtime. We would go to museums or do touristy things like the Empire State Building or go to a play on Broadway. My son is also very into antiques and would have loved to work with someone like Hobie.
I think Hobie is a very sympathetic character and I am glad Theo has him to talk to. Out of all the adults who want to help Theo, Hobie seems to be the only one who truly understands Theo and treats him as a person, instead of a child to be taken care of.
I was horrified when Theo's father showed up with that girlfriend and told him he was taking him to Las Vegas, just when Theo was starting to feel a little bit better about his situation.

Ah-your at the Las Vegas section! Buckle up for a wild ride! Hobie is by far my favorite character. He is gentle and wise and harmless. That is amazing how much you have in common in your life with this book. It must make it that much more captivating! Have you wanted to go look for the antique shop?

Moving on now to the second "chunk" of the book. :)

Spoiler Alert! Please limit your comments to include spoilers ONLY for:

Part I (chapters 1-4) and

Part II (chapters 5 and 6) -- May 17 to 31
Chapter 5 -- Badr al-Dine
Chapter 6 -- Wind, Sand and Stars