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Julia Kinion

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The Goldfinch

by Donna Tartt

bookshelves: favorites, currently-reading

Reading for the 3rd time

read in October 2024

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Julia Kinion said: " Re-Read: Phenomenal. Truly. Donna Tartt sees the world in such a profound way. My favorite part of the novel is the last thirty pages, with Theo's delirium-inculcated contemplation about life's futility, the misery and suffering inherent in the human Re-Read: Phenomenal. Truly. Donna Tartt sees the world in such a profound way. My favorite part of the novel is the last thirty pages, with Theo's delirium-inculcated contemplation about life's futility, the misery and suffering inherent in the human condition, the transcendence of art, and the nature of fate.

On revisiting, both The Goldfinch and The Secret History, I was struck by Tartt storytelling and tone. Her novels are always narrated in retrospect—a Bildungsroman told from the perspective of the adult protagonist, Orpheus turning back to catch a passing glimpse at the ephemera of childhood, and the resulting world is filtered through profound melancholy.

I think I'm able to understand and articulate why I prefer The Goldfinch to The Secret History. The superficiality of The Secret History is paramount to Tartt's message: the fruitless pursuit and morbid longing of the picturesque at all costs leaves the Greek class unfulfilled and miserable. In Tartt's extended exploration on aesthetic obsession—a la Oscar Wilde, perhaps—The Secret History elucidates the meaningless pursuit of beauty. Meanwhile, The Goldfinch illustrates the profound impact art can hold on the soul, when tethered to something greater—love, naturally—and while far more depressing, is infinitely more profound.

Original Review: Truly incredible. Absolute phenom from Donna Tartt. Pacing felt a little awkward at times, with the 400-pages in the middle felt a bit like wading through quicksand, but the ending was remarkable. It was one of those books where finishing it feels like a spiritual experience—where you just lay there after finishing, feeling the handprint it left on your soul.

Better than The Secret History, in my opinion. The Secret History is gossamer and hazy vignettes, you can practically hear the screeching score and grainy, muted cinematography. The Secret History reads like you're watching a film, and while charming and endlessly clever, is therefore coated in a sticky layer of artifice. The Goldfinch is painstakingly intimate and raw, Tartt's first-person narration providing a sublimation of the self—while reading, I really felt like I was Theo.

Such a loss for words. Would absolutely recommend, to anyone. ...more "

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(page 715 of 771)
— Feb 07, 2025 07:58PM

Feb 07, 2025 09:12PM · see review