The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is definitely a jewel. Donna Tartt writes grandiose. I am a big fan of her. For every book enthusiast, it is a must read.

Especially if you have no trouble digesting more than 800 pages. What makes this book superb? The fact that the writer has had the time, in 800 pages, to create extremely interesting and fascinating characters and she created a page turner at the same time.

The story starts in Amsterdam and you meet Theo Decker, an American, who hides in a hotel. On the first 4 pages it is clear that he has something to do with a murder case. For the time being, it is unclear why. Theo tries in vain to decipher the Dutch newspapers in search of his name or other details about the crime. The beginning of the book starts mysteriously, confusingly and feverishly. The protagonist who also literally has a fever, dreams about his deceased mother. The loving mother who Theo lost at the age of 13, which turned his life upside down. A life that since then unintentionally seems to derail.

And then there is The Goldfinch, a painting by the Dutch painter Carel Fabritius from 1654. This piece of art is a thread running through the story. The Goldfinch is the painting that his mother loved so much and what their last conversation was about. The painting that keeps Theo going even when fate gives his life a different turn again and again. Partly through this painting Theo will get involved in the underworld of art which makes for a thriller-like end of the book.

Are you planning to go on holiday soon and you really can’t figure out which book you would like to take with you? Click on the book below and order via Amazon (or for the Dutch version check my Dutch blog and order via the Bol.com link). For the smarty-fans among us, order the e-book if you want to limit the weight of your suitcase.

Funny detail. The world premiere of the book appeared first in Dutch and later in English.

Donna Tartt won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014 for this book.

The painting “The Goldfinch” is owned by the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague where you can view this painting. Check this link: puttertje.mauritshuis.nl/en

Donna Tartt has written only three novels. The Secret History (1992), The Little Friend (2002) and The Goldfinch (2013). I have read all three of them and especially the first, The Secret History, is also phenomenal. I will write a blog about this book in the future. It is more than 20 years since I read that book, so I would like to read it once again. Reading a book a second time is actually against my rules, but I can make an exception for The Secret History. It has always been in my top 5.

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